Grilled Zucchini-Feta Bruschetta with Double-Tomato Dressing

by rismerdob Admin

Servings: 4

This main-dish salad takes a bit of time to prep, but you can slice and dice the vegetables and grill the peppers ahead. Grill the zucchini and bread when guests arrive.

Ingredients

For the dressing

  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbs. drained and finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. red wine or sherry vinegar
  • 1 Tbs. fresh orange juice
  • 1 Tbs. finely chopped combination of fresh mint and basil
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1/2 tsp. black-olive tapenade
  • 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 6 oz. small cherry tomatoes or other tiny tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
  • Kosher salt

For the salad

  • 2 large red, yellow, or orange bell peppers (6 to 7 oz. each)
  • 2 large or 4 small zucchini (about 1-1/2 lb. total)
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 1/2-inch-thick slices peasant bread (from a boule or other large loaf—slices should be oval,about 7 inches long and 3 or 4 inches wide)
  • 1 clove garlic, halved
  • 3 cups (2 oz.) loosely packed baby arugula leaves
  • 1/4 cup very roughly chopped fresh basil and/or mint leaves
  • 4 oz. creamy feta cheese, such as ValBreso, crumbled

Preparation

Make the dressing

  • In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, orange juice, herbs, honey, tapenade, and garlic until well combined. Gently fold in the fresh tomatoes and 1/2 tsp. salt. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the salad.

Make the salad

  • Prepare a high (500°F to 600°F) gas or charcoal grill fire. (If using a grill topper, heat it with the grill.) Put the whole peppers directly on the grate while the grill is heating, lower the lid, and roast the peppers, turning every few minutes, until well blistered and mostly blackened, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve any pepper juice in the bowl. Peel the skin off the peppers, and discard the skin.
  • Put the peppers on a cutting board, and split them lengthwise along the lobes. Separate the lobes to create 8 pieces. Gently remove and discard the seeds.
  • Reduce the grill heat to medium (350°F to 375°F). Trim the ends off the zucchini, and cut them in half crosswise. Stand each half up on one end on a cutting board. Trim a little sliver off two sides of each piece (to avoid pieces with a lot of skin), and then cut down through the zucchini at 1/4-inch intervals to yield 4 or 5 slices or “planks” per zucchini half. Put the zucchini in a medium bowl, add 2 Tbs. oil and 1/4 tsp. salt, and toss gently to coat.
  • Generously brush the bread slices on both sides with the remaining oil, and sprinkle with a little salt.
  • Arrange the bread and zucchini on the grill, and cover. (If you wish, put the bread on the grill grate, and use a grill topper for the zucchini.) Grill the bread until golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Cook the zucchini until well marked on the first side, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip over and cook on the other side until marked, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the zucchini to a tray or plate, and cover loosely to retain some heat if not assembling right away. Rub the grilled bread on both sides with the cut sides of the garlic.
  • Divide the arugula into four portions (reserving a few leaves for garnish), and arrange on four dinner plates. Sprinkle about a third of the herbs over the arugula. Put a piece of grilled bread on each plate, and drizzle with any reserved pepper juices. Top the bread with half of the zucchini slices. Sprinkle half of the feta on the zucchini. Top each bread slice with two roasted pepper slices. Sprinkle with another third of the herbs. Top with the remaining zucchini slices and the remaining feta and herbs.
  • Season the dressing to taste with salt, and stir gently. Spoon an equal amount of the over and around the stacks, and garnish with a few arugula leaves. Serve immediately.
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