Season’s eatings

Having grown up in the rural Midwest, Henri has deep roots in agriculture—and a virtual addiction to fresh fruits and vegetables. And later, when he was wandering the great cites of Asia and Europe in search of love and adventure, he always sought out local products.

So, naturally, he is unabashedly enamored of Chico’s farmers’ markets and CSA (community-supported agriculture) networks, including GRUB, where Colette and I delight in picking up what’s available and then planning our meals accordingly, instead of menu-planning and then going in search of ingredients. We’re thrilled that the evenings are getting longer and warmer and that grilled-vegetable season is here once again.

But this year, we’ve taken it a step further. In the fall, we decided to grow our own. We planted cabbage, broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts, garlic and several different kinds of lettuce. Sadly, much of our little garden turned into a crawl-thru fast-food restaurant for snails and slugs looking for late-night munchies. Fortunately, however, the lettuce—particularly the red-leaf and Romaine—not only survived but thrived (the garlic looks good but is not yet ready to harvest).

So these past few weeks, we’ve been enjoying our grilled vegetables complemented with delicious, simple salads made with greens picked 20 feet away 10 minutes before we eat—Colette cuts a few leaves from the outside of several plants, and the heads just continue to get stronger and fuller. Throw on some crumbled feta or blue cheese, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and voila!

Grilled vegetables

It’s still early in the grilling season, but we’ve already found local broccoli, carrots, parsnips and lots of leafy greens. We throw them in a grilling wok ($22 at Collier Hardware) and then top them with a light dressing. Sometimes I’ll throw some shrimp or chicken meat (cut into bite-sized pieces) in with the veggies. Even better: all mixed together into a grain or pasta salad (couscous, orzo, quinoa, rice, or any small or medium-size pasta, such as rotelle or fusilli)—especially good served cold.

Cooking notes: 1) Vegetables should be chopped and then cooked al dente. Overcooked, their individual flavors become less distinctive. If you’re including chicken, begin grilling it about 10 minutes before you add the vegetables; add shrimp toward the end. Stir frequently. 2) For a wonderfully colorful presentation, add a quarter head of red cabbage (shredded). 3) Even with a nonstick grilling pan, I use a spray-on cooking oil and drizzle a bit of olive oil on the vegetables several times while they’re grilling—being careful not to pour on so much that it drips onto the burners and flames up.

Veggie dressings

The two dressings below are delicious over grilled veggies, either by themselves or mixed in with various grilled meats and pastas and grains, as well as tofu. Experiment by trying different combinations.

Basil dressing: This is a lighter, more liquid version of the classic pesto typically served with pasta and has a tangy, refreshing taste—try it mixed into couscous with red and green bell peppers, red onions and chicken. It’s also very good dribbled over gnocchi.

Ingredients: 2-3 cloves garlic, minced; 1-2 cups fresh basil leaves; 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar; 1/2 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper.

Process the garlic in a food processor, add the other ingredients and process to desired consistency. Add more oil to make it more liquid, more cheese to thicken it up. Transfer to small serving pitcher and refrigerate.

Henri’s saffron aioli: The lemon and saffron give this dressing a distinct bite and make it ideal for summer veggies, really bringing out the flavor in bell peppers and shrimp.

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons lemon juice; pinch saffron; 2-3 cloves garlic; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar.

Pour lemon juice into mixing bowl and add saffron (thumb-and-finger crumbled). Allow to steep for several minutes. Add garlic, mayonnaise, olive oil and vinegar and whisk to desired consistency. Note: Ingredient amounts are approximations; add and subtract to desired taste and consistency.