Grilled Vegetable Salad
This is a salad with a smoky edge: every vegetable goes onto the grill first, so the eggplant, zucchini, and fennel pick up caramelized char marks, while the bell peppers, roasted whole, shed their skins and leave behind soft, smoky flesh. The dressing is minimal, just olive oil and wine vinegar, so nothing overpowers the flavor of the fire.
The magazine credits this recipe directly to Armenia, where the author tasted the most delicious version of this salad served alongside kebabs. In the Transcaucasian tradition, grilled vegetables such as eggplant, pepper, and tomato are a mandatory side for meat cooked over coals.
Notes from the Kitchen
- Peel the peppers while they are still hot by piling them into a covered bowl for a few minutes; the steam loosens the skin so it lifts away easily.
- You can swap young garlic for regular garlic, but then don’t roast the head whole; instead add a few crushed cloves to the dressing.
- Fennel adds an anise note; if you don’t care for it, replace it with another zucchini or a stalk of celery.
Serve warm or at room temperature; chilled, the smoky aroma fades. It works as a standalone appetizer and equally as the perfect side for fish or meat off the same grill.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Cut the eggplant, zucchini, and fennel into slices 5 to 7 mm thick and grill on both sides.
Grill the bell peppers whole, turning occasionally so they cook through on all sides. Peel the peppers and cut them the same way as the rest of the vegetables. Grill the green onions and garlic whole, without cutting them.
Combine all the vegetables, dress with olive oil and wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
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