Grilled Vegetables- Kosher for Passover

Everyone is buzzing now that Passover is a little more than one week away. "What should I cook?" "Any great Kosher for Passover recipes?" The way I look at it is that Passover is the best time to whip out your classic, tried and true simple Kosher recipes (obviously the ones that have no bread or flour in them). Grilled meats, fish and chicken, and when it comes to side-dishes, forget about the starch. Focus on vegetables. Seasonal, easy to find, delicious vegetables. Prepare a big batch of vegetables, grilled to perfection, mouth-watering, and perfectly seasoned. Plate them on a beautiful tray, and they are sure to steal the show. Often times, less is more, and simple is simply the best.

Grilled Vegetables

Serves 10

If you don’t already own an indoor “grill pan”, get one asap. You will thank me, I promise. Grill pans have a raised, grooved surface that char your food in the same way an outdoor grill would.  I sear all my steaks, chops and chicken on a grill pan to lock in the flavor and for the striking grill marks, then complete the cooking in the oven. And I love grilling vegetables on the grill pan first before finishing them off in the oven.

1 bunch asparagus

3 red onions

2 red peppers, or color of your choice

2 zucchinis, sliced thin lengthwise, (about ¼ inch)

1 large eggplant, sliced thin lengthwise, (about ¼ inch)

2 cups white mushrooms, whole

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

zest from 1 lemon

To serve:

Juice from 1 lemon

3 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar

Place all of the vegetables in a large ziplock bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, basil, salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Pour over the vegetables, and seal the bag. Marinate the vegetables in the ziplock for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Turn the bag over once or twice to make sure the vegetables are marinating evenly.

Preheat oven 400. Prepare grill pan over medium-high heat. Using tongs, remove the vegetables from the marinade and place on the grill pan in a single layer (this may take a few batches). RESERVE the remaining marinade. Grill the vegetables for 3 minutes on each side, place in a large baking tray in a single layer. When all the vegetables are grilled, pout the remaining marinade over, and place in oven for 10 minutes. Before serving, squeeze lemon juice over and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Do not refrigerate. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.