Grilled Vegetable Antipasto
- Yield 8 to 10 servings
An assortment of colorful grilled vegetables accompanied by a spicy Churrasco Sauce, the South American parsley sauce that normally accompanies grilled beef.
If you like, sprinkle some of the vegetables, such as the eggplant or peppers, with crumbled feta cheese or queso blanco.
Ingredients
- Churrasco Sauce:
- 2 cups roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 cup cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 -- jalapeno pepper, seeded
- -- Salt, to taste
- Balsamic Marinade:
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- -- Juice of 1 lemon
- -- Juice of 2 sour oranges or 1/4 cup bottled sour orange juice
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 -- garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Vegetable Mix:
- -- Water
- -- Salt, to taste
- 1 -- (2-pound) wedge calabasa squash, unpeeled, cut into 2-inch-wide sections
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1 large bulb fennel, halved
- 2 -- red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
- 2 -- green bell peppers, seeded and quartered
- 2 -- yellow squash, halved lengthwise
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 1 large eggplant, unpeeled, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick steaks
- -- Churrasco Sauce (recipe given)
Instructions
- To make the Churrasco Sause: In a blender or a food processor fitted with metal blade, process or blend all ingredients until smooth. Sauce can be made up to two days before serving and refrigerated.
- To make marinade: Combine all ingredients in a large nonreactive mixing bowl.
- To make vegetables: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch wedges of calabasa squash 3 minutes until about halfway cooked. Remove from water and place on a plate. Brush with marinade.
- Blanch asparagus in same water. After 2 minutes, remove spears from water and plunge them into ice water to stop cooking and preserve the bright green color. Then brush with marinade.
- Lastly, boiled fennel halves 2 minutes before cooling them on a plate and brushing with marinade.
- Place peppers, yellow squash, zucchini and eggplant into marinade and toss . Allow all vegetables to marinate 30 minutes.
- Grill vegetables over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes per side on a gas grill or over coals. If you don't have a grill, broil vegetables under a hot broiler element 6 to 7 minutes per side until lightly browned and tender. Arrange vegetables on a large platter by contrasting color in rows or piles. Serve with Churrasco Sauce.
