Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Grilled Vegetable Platter

Vegetables grilled until caramelized and tender crisp and doused with the most fabulous herb vinaigrette around!

I've been dying to bring you this 8th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series.  This next side dish is a beauty, and a tasty one at that.  It screams summertime and just begs to be eaten!

The focus is on the fresh summer vegetables and all the fresh herbs you can get your hands on!

GRILLED VEGETABLE PLATTER

I've come a long way since childhood.  Yes, I have.

There was a time I would never have looked twice at this platter, crinkling up my nose.

But not today.

I've changed.

You couldn't drag me away from these now.

And the vinaigrette... let's just say I could bathe in it!

Enjoy!

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Grilled Vegetable Platter


VEGETABLES
5-6 Campari tomatoes
3-4 large carrots, peeled
1 bunch large asparagus, wooden ends removed
1-2 zucchinis, cut on the bias
1-2 yellow summer squash, cut on the bias

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat grill to medium high heat.

In a medium bowl stir together all the ingredients for the vinaigrette.  Brush all sides of the vegetables with some of the vinaigrette and allow to marinate for about 10 minutes. 

Grill vegetables straight on the grill until tender crisp and they have good grill marks on them, turning over as needed.  About 10 minutes.

Remove from grill to a platter and drizzle with some of the remaining vinaigrette.  Serve immediately.

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots

Juicy steaks are topped with a fresh herb salsa and served with roasted potatoes & carrots for a date worthy dinner!

Hi everyone! I'm bringing you my 7th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series. A series of recipes that are filled with fresh summer produce that are easy, light, and oh soooo tasty!

Today we are going to focus on produce and herbs, namely carrots, potatoes, parsley, and cilantro! We'll roast the carrots and potatoes with a fantastic Greek roasting method, and then create an herb salsa to go on top of a juicy seared sirloin steak. Sounds yummy doesn't it?

This was a quick dinner for 2 that I got from the Marley Spoon food service and we had for a date night out by the pool. You guys, the flavors are fantastic in their dishes! You really should try them out, it's a great way to get food during the pandemic without going shopping, and a perfect way to try new recipes.   

1 Free Box Available!
I have a link here for one lucky person to get a free box. I thought I would share it with all of you, so who ever uses that link first will get a free box from Marley Spoon (Martha Stewart's meal service). In my opinion they are the best one out there based on flavor, choices, value, and serving size. The portions are very hearty.

During the summer you want food that is quick and easy to cook. Steak is one of those items that can cook in about 10 minutes, and something we grab often when we want to do a quick grill or even cooking it indoors in a cast iron skillet. The veggie roasting takes a little bit longer (about 15-20 minutes) but is a wonderful way to bring out the sweetness in produce.

Let's talk about this Greek roasting method. The vegetables are tossed with oil and then covered with beef broth as they roast in the oven. This is a great roasting technique to use on potatoes as they soak up the flavorful liquid, allowing the insides to remain tender while the outsides crisp in the oven’s high heat. So besides learning a new cooking technique the veggies turned out delishhh!

Quick and easy is the name of the game and this dish can be on your table in about 30 minutes. I would say that is a blessing in hot weather.

Enjoy this wonderful summer dish bursting with flavors!


Kitchen Tips: 

• Prep is key - slice all your veggies and herbs up front to assist with quicker cooking times.
• When roasting your produce covered in broth make sure that most of the broth is nearly evaporated for the best results.

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots

serves 2

1 large russet potato, cut lengthwise into 1/2" sticks

2-3 carrots, peeled and cut in half crosswise, and then into 1/4" sticks

1 cup beef broth

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lemon, juiced

salt & pepper

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided use

1 large or 2 small sirloin steaks

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place the rack in the top position.  

In a medium bowl combine parsley and cilantro, garlic, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside. 

Using a rimmed baking sheet toss the potatoes and carrots with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Spread veggies into a single layer and pour the beef broth over the top.  Roast on the top oven rack for 15-20 minutes, until tender and broth is nearly evaporated.

Meanwhile heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot.  Pat dry your steaks and season with salt and pepper.  Add to the skillet and cook about 5 minutes per side for medium temperature. (cook less about 3-4 for medium-rare)  Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Once vegetables are done switch oven to broil.  Broil veggies until slightly charred around the edges about 5 minutes.  (watch closely as ovens vary).

Slice steaks thinly and plate with potatoes and carrots alongside.  Drizzle steaks with herb salsa and serve.

source:  MarleySpoon.com

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Lemon Blueberry Scones

Warm from the oven, these scones are tender and flaky.  One bite and a blueberry bursts into your mouth and you taste pure sunshine from the lemons.  

Now that's a scone!

Saturday mornings have become my baking time.  That's when I get up early enough to turn on the oven during the summer months and bake a few things so we have goodies to snack on during the week.

I'm really loving the berries this year so I find myself baking with them a lot, that is unless MGG eats them all first!  Today I'm bring you my 6th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series.  Which are recipes filled with fresh summer produce that are easy, light, and oh soooo tasty!  

I'm highlighting lemons and blueberries today.  Both of which scream summer to me, how about you?  I love everything about lemons and blueberries but when you combine them together...well it's a match made in heaven.

So let's take my Basic Scone Recipe and make a variation by adding in some lemon zest for mucho lemon flavor, and some tart blueberries. Oh these babies bake up so beautifully and they are just waiting for you to pop one in your mouth.

This makes a large batch of scones, so freeze some if you like and save for another day. They will keep 2-3 days on the counter, but if the weather is really hot you might want to refrigerate them. Just allow them to come to room temperature or pop them in the microwave to warm them slightly.


Enjoy!

Kitchen Tips:  

1. Use parchment paper which gives the bottoms a nice brown crust.  
2. Sprinkle sanding or sparkling sugar on the tops for an extra crunch and sweet bite.  
3. Fold the blueberries in gently so they don't mash up and bleed in your scones. 
4. Fresh blueberries are best to avoid the dough from turning blue.

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Lemon Blueberry Scones 

Yield: 12 scones

3 cups all purpose flour

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

3 Tbsp lemon zest

3/4 cup butter (cold)

1 egg

1 cup whole milk

2 cups blueberries
Sparkling sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and combine.

Using a pastry cutter cut cold butter into flour mixture until there are pea-sized pieces of butter throughout.  Add the milk and egg and mix just until a dough just starts to form.  Fold in the blueberries until well combined.

Remove the dough to a generously floured work surface and pat the dough just until it comes together. Pat the dough out to 3/4 - 1 inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter.  

Place the scones on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for several minutes.  Serve warm.