Roasted vegetable bruschetta

It’s been brought to my attention that I never did post a recipe for the roasted vegetable bruschetta that Kirk and I love to make.  It’s really easy, and it’s unbelievably fabulous.  It also starts out as a wonderful side dish that regularly induces eye-rolling ecstacy at the dinner table–grilled marinated vegetables.

First, select a mix of vegetables and put them in a large sealable plastic bowl: (choose what you like from the following)

• Mushrooms–leave whole or cut in halves
• Bell peppers (we prefer yellow/orange/red)–cut into 1″ slices
• Onions–cut into quarters or eighths
• Garlic cloves–whole
• Yellow squash–cut into 1″ wheels or lengthwise slices
• Zucchini–1″ wheels or lengthwise slices

For the marinade, use roughly something like this:

• 2 TBSP minced garlic
• 2-3 TBSP olive oil
• A splash of cider or balsamic vinegar
• A splash of soy sauce

Mix the above and pour over the vegetables.  Seal the bowl and shake to coat all the vegetables well. (Umm, I shouldn’t have to mention this, but I have a sadly stained shirt to attest to the need for the warning:  be sure the bowl really seals before shaking, and hold both bowl and lid with your hands while shaking.)

For the next part, you can either use an oven or a grill.  If using an oven, preheat to about 425ºF, and layer the vegetables on a foil-lined cookie sheet (be sure to use the kind with a rim around the edge to prevent dripping in the oven.) Roast the vegetables 20-30 minutes, or until the onions and peppers have slightly blackened edges.

If you use a grill, you’ll need a grill basket, and you’ll want to make sure to cut the veggies to the appropriate size, so they don’t fall out. Grilling takes a bit less time, and the veggies acquire a slightly smoky flavor that we think is wonderful.

You can stop here and simply serve the vegetables alongside grilled meat (we often pair them with grilled pork loin, marinated in a very similar marinade.) My friend Nicole told me once, after tasting these grilled veggies, that “there’s something Not Entirely Holy about these.”  You’ve been warned.  You may also want to institute the rule:  “No picking out all the carmelized onions and mushrooms and leaving only zucchini and squash.”  I’m sure  nobody in MY house needs that rule articulated, but I just mention it.

You can also go on and make the bruschetta.  It’s really hard.  Are you ready?  Put the grilled veggies, along with all the juice, in the blender, and blend!  That’s it.

Serve with pita chips or good French bread.  Or put it on pizza.  Or mix it in with pasta and top with a grilled chicken breast and some grated Romano.  Or use your imagination and report back to us on other uses you find for it.  I’m tellin’ ya, you’ll find MANY.

Laura

P.S.  I edited this and took out a bit about canning this bruschetta, because I want to check with an expert at the university extension service about what the safest method/time for canning this would be.  In the meantime, a for-sure safe method of preserving this bruschetta is freezing it–in freezer bags or plastic containers.  It freezes well, and the texture and flavor are still fresh and wonderful upon thawing.