A fantastic vegetarian main or hearty side dish to virtually any grilled meat, this vibrant ratatouille is a delicious vehicle for your farmers’ market bounty. It would also be a hit over farro or whole-wheat pasta.
How to Make It
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Finely chop 1 of the garlic cloves. Combine the chopped garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl.
Grease grill grates with canola oil. Place eggplant, zucchini, squash, onion, and bell pepper on oiled grates. Grill, uncovered, until zucchini and squash are just tender, 4 to 5 minutes, turning once. Transfer zucchini and squash to a cutting board. Cover grill; continue grilling eggplant, onion, and bell pepper until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. Let stand until just cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes; chop vegetables into bite-size pieces.
Brush bread slices on both sides with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place on oiled grates; grill, uncovered, until just toasted on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from grill. Cut remaining garlic clove in half; rub toast slices on both sides with cut sides of garlic halves. Cut each toast slice in half.
Add chopped grilled vegetables to tomato mixture in bowl; add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, and toss to coat. To serve, sprinkle with cheese, basil, and almonds. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with toasts.
Also appeared in: Health, July, 2019