Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Salad with Fig Tapenade

It has been in the low 100s here the past week and I am in no mood to turn the stove on. We choose to grill outdoors today. This salad is delicious, a great way to celebrate summer vegetables and comes together very quickly . I picked these beautiful zucchinis, tomatoes,  green beans from our midweek farmers market. I love pop up farmers markets all through summer. It’s not as big as the Sunday one but love to pick a few that got missed out on Sunday.

I paired grilled veggies with some raw veggies and tossed them with my favorite local olive oil and zaatar, then served it alongside fig tapenade. The tapenade is the star of this salad. You can also add some feta cheese for additional flavor and some really good crackers to scoop the tapenade.

 

Serves 2- 3 as main meal or 6 as side

Summer Vegetable Salad with fig tapenade

• 1 long Japanese eggplant, cut diagonally
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
• kosher salt, as needed
• Black pepper,
• 1 teaspoon zaatar
• 1/2 pound small new red potatoes
• 6’ounces string beans, trimmed
• 3’ear corn, husked
• 1 tub heirloom baby tomatoes halved if large
• 3’medium zucchinis halved

1. For the Tapenade
   1-1/2 cups kalamata olives
   2 tablespoons capers, drained
   Juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon and zest, more to taste
   1 large clove garlic
   6-8 fresh or dried figs
   Coarse sea salt, as needed
   2 tablespoons cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
   Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

 

1. Heat a grill pan on medium.
2. In a large bowl toss the corn, eggplant, zucchini with olive oil. Place them on the grill pan and grill both sides till they get grill marks and soft. You can do this on a BBQ too.
3. Take the corn kernels off the cob and season. Mix it with halved tomatoes.
4. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water. Place the pot over medium-high heat, bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Drop in the string beans for the last two minutes of cooking. Drain the vegetables and let cool. Cut the potatoes in half (if large).
6. Toss the potatoes, eggplant and zucchini with zaatar.
7. In a food processor pulse figs, olives, garlic, lemon juice and zest, capers till finely chopped but not puréed. Mix the basil leaves and olive oil and set aside. Taste and add more salt and/or lemon juice if needed.
8. Arrange the vegetables and tomatoes, on a large platter. Serve with fig tapenade on the side.. Sprinkle with black pepper, garnish with basil leaves and serve.