Grilled Winter Vegetable Salad by TheDevineKitchen

Grilled Winter Vegetable Salad

Yield: 4 servings

I find dry roasting sturdy vegetables on a grill pan, without any oil or salt, to be a stirring way to dress up a hardy winter salad!  Note how the vegetables are then steamed to finish cooking.  Here’s one combination of vegetables that goes alongside any protein, such as steak, lamb chop, or chicken.

Ingredients:

1 medium fennel bulb, outer layer, stalks, fronds, and base of root end removed

1 head radicchio, any outer wilted leaves removed, and base of root end removed

1 medium red onion, outermost skin and base of root end removed

1 red pepper, cored, seeded and membranes removed

Lots of fresh herbs, such as mint and marjoram

Any combination of sharp, crunchy, and earthy cooler seasonal lettuces such as baby kale, spicy arugula, mustard leaf, and frisee

Note: If you don’t have a grill pan, use a barbeque basket, or cut your vegetables into larger pieces and grill them on the barbeque. After they’re cooked and cooled you can slice into smaller pieces.  

Method:

1. Halve the fennel, radicchio, and onion lengthwise, through the root, into approximate 1-inch wedges.  Cut the red pepper into 1-inch-wide wedges.

2. Heat a heavy grill pan over medium high heat 4-5 minutes.  Reduce to medium and grill the fennel, turning over occasionally, until the fennel is lightly charred but still has a little bite, about 5-minutes.  

3. Transfer into a medium bowl and immediately cover with plastic wrap to steam and cook a bit more as they cool.

4. Repeat with each vegetable, until all the vegetables are in the bowl.

5. Toss with your favorite vinaigrette, fresh chopped herbs, and winter greens. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Variations:

• Add winter fruits such as pomegranate seeds. 

• Add toasted nuts (try hazelnuts or chopped almonds).

• Add crumbled blue cheese, feta, or pecorino.