Friday's Recipe of the Week

Grilled Ratatouille Salad
~Vegetarian Times Magazine

3/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 medium eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/2 inch pieces
3 large bell peppers, cut into quarters
3 medium zucchini, sliced in half
1 medium onion, sliced into 1/2 inch rings
1/4 c. parsley, chopped
1/4 c. basil, chopped
1/4 c. pine nuts

Pour balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan, bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 12 mins or until it becomes syrup-like and reduces to 1/4 c. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place sliced eggplant, zucchini, and onion into a large bowl;season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand for 30 mins at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain any liquid that accumulates.
Heat grill to medium high, toss veggies with olive oil and grill 2-3 mins per side or until tender and cooked through. Remove from grill and cool slightly and chop into 1 inch pieces. Combine vegetable chunks with herbs and pine nuts. Toss with balsamic syrup and serve.


This recipe was quite easy to make, although a little time consuming but that was due to the small size of my grill. This salad can be served warm or cold, although I must say I preferred it warm. I also toasted my pine nuts, as I enjoy the smokey flavour. Lastly, I would add that next time I would include a little less eggplant as this tends to go a little soggy after it's grilled and can bring down the over all texture of the salad. Enjoy!!