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grilled zucchini

Grilled Zucchini and Lemon with Fresh Herbs

Summer harvest and summer grilling come together for a vegetarian summerfest in your mouth. For optimal results, use produce, preferably organic, at its peak. A standout by itself. To make it a meal, serve with white beans.
Course Main Course, Side Dish

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lemons rinsed well and sliced crosswise in paper-thin slices
  • 2 zucchini sliced into long, slender planks
  • 1 red onion sliced crosswise into rings
  • 1 handful mint leaves torn
  • 1 handful oregano leaves
  • 1 handful parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste pepper

Instructions
 

  • Bring a small saucepan of water to boil, poking out the seeds. Drop the lemon slices in the water to blanch for a minute. Drain well and blot dry.
  • Brush lemon slices, onion and zucchini blanks with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill lemon slices for about a minute — a grill basket is great for this — or until the start to blacken, then flip and grill the other side. Set aside.
  • Brush the zucchini planks and sliced onions with remaining olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Grill a few minutes per side, or until softened and the onion is slightly caramelized, about 8 minutes, a little longer for the zucchini. My go-to source for grilling vegetables — and for many things — is “The Old Farmer’s Almanac.”
  • Arrange grilled zucchini, onion and lemon on a platter. Scatter herbs on top and drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired. Set aside and leave out at room temperature for about 30 minute before serving, so the flavors get to know each other.

Notes

No grill? No problem. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take 2 baking sheets or roasting pans. Place a parchment sheet on each. Lay lemon and onion slices on one sheet, leaving room in between the lemon and onion. Spread the zucchini planks on the other sheet. Brush everything lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast the lemon and onion slices until they start to char at the edges, about 15 minutes, and zucchini for 30 minutes, flipping the zucchini about halfway through, as it starts to blacken and blister. Prepare as above, topping with fresh herbs and perhaps a little more olive oil. Allow to rest and mellow for about 30 minutes before serving.
Keyword grilled, grilling, herbs, lemon, summer, vegetables, veggies, zucchini