Piatto di Verdure
Father’s Day Weekend is upon us and I’m going to bet that most households are planning a BBQ of some sort, especially if the weather’s nice! Steaks are on the menu here, but before you get to the main course, there’s nothing like grilling up a platter of fresh veggies to enjoy al fresco! One of our favorite local Italian restaurants serves up a similar wood-fired version of this platter and ever since I tried it, I have been determined to make our own version for the blog.
This is essentially a grilled crudité with a trio of delicious dipping sauces (all recipes below). These three are my faves (and inspired by the restaurant, Fortina, I mentioned), but you can pretty much pair this platter with whatever sauces you wish! All vegetable are fair game too – as long as you can grill it – on this particular day, we grilled up an assortment of rainbow carrots, onions, yellow peppers and Swiss chard.
The grilling step is pretty simple, all you need to do is brush the veggies with olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper and then place right on the grill (you want those beautiful coveted grill marks!) for about 5-10 minutes. I’d prep the sauces first and let them chill briefly while you grill the veggies. Your food processor (ideally this mini one) will do all the heavy lifting for you, which is such a treat for chef, and dad, alike… extra bonus if they’re the same person! Happy Dad’s Day ya’ll!
Sundried Tomato Romesco
Ingredients
- 1 cup sundried tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup tomato purée
- 2 TBSP chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 TBSP Sherry or red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Directions
- Step 1 Toast your almonds first. Pulse first 8 ingredients in a food processor until very finely chopped.
- Step 2 With motor running, slowly add oil and process again until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and chill slightly before serving.
Tahini Walnut Crema
Ingredients
- ¾ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus ½ TBSP
- 1 TBSP tahini
- ½ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
Directions
- Step 1 Boil a small pot of salted water and blanche the walnuts for about 10 minutes, until softened. Drain and reserve ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.
- Step 2 Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a small sauté pan and cook the red onions over medium heat until golden brown and tender (about 5 minutes.)
- Step 3 Combine the walnuts, the cooking liquid, the onions and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until creamy. Slowly drizzle in the ¼ cup of olive oil. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Step 4 Set aside at room temperature or chill before serving. The crema can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
Creamy Gremolata
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 TBSP lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 TBSP sour cream
- 1 TBSP buttermilk
Directions
- Step 1 Blend all ingredients in your food processor, adjusting as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Gremolata classically has a consistency that’s a bit more dry, almost like salsa – I designed ours to be a bit creamier.
