Description
Grilled Veggies with Caper Butter blends Mediterranean charm with summer’s fresh produce. Zesty herb-infused butter melts over charred vegetables, creating a simple yet elegant side dish perfect for sharing with friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 zucchini, sliced into 0.25 in (0.64 cm) rounds
- 1 yellow squash, sliced
- 1 small eggplant, sliced into rounds
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 4 tbsps (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsps (30 mL) capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 2 tbsps (30 mL) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat, ensuring an even cooking surface lightly oiled to prevent vegetable adherence.
- Vegetable Preparation: Slice vegetables uniformly to guarantee consistent cooking and visual appeal, creating elegant, symmetrical cuts.
- Seasoning Process: Thoroughly coat vegetable slices with olive oil, then generously season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to amplify natural flavors.
- Grilling Technique: Strategically place vegetables on the grill, avoiding overcrowding to promote proper charring and prevent steaming, rotating midway to achieve distinctive crosshatch marks.
- Flavor Enhancement: Craft a luxurious caper butter by whipping softened butter and incorporating briny capers, fragrant lemon zest, tangy lemon juice, chopped parsley, and a hint of black pepper.
- Finishing Touch: Once grilled vegetables are transferred to a serving platter, generously spread the herbaceous caper butter while still warm, allowing it to melt and infuse the produce with rich, zesty undertones.
- Serving Suggestion: Present the dish immediately, offering the option of warm or room temperature service to showcase the butter’s sumptuous texture and the vegetables’ robust grilled essence.
Notes
- Slice with Precision: Cut vegetables uniformly to guarantee even cooking and professional presentation, preventing undercooked or burnt sections.
- Oil Matters: Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil with a high smoke point to enhance flavor and prevent burning during high-heat grilling.
- Temperature Control: Maintain medium-high grill heat between 400-450°F for perfect caramelization without scorching vegetables’ delicate surfaces.
- Butter Brilliance: Let caper butter reach room temperature before mixing to ensure smooth, even incorporation of ingredients and optimal melting texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg