Simple Summer Vegetables

Larry decided to barbecue last week. He cooked potatoes in the coals, and grilled a steak for him and a portobello mushroom for me. (See his mushroom technique here.)

I was in charge of the vegetables, and it was a wonderfully simple job on this summer day.

I picked a tomato from the garden, sliced it thinly, drizzled it with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and scattered fresh basil on top.

I lightly steamed some green beans and tossed them with a vinaigrette of 1 tbsp olive oil to 2 tsp red wine vinegar. I sprinkled a few chopped scallions on top.

And I grilled some zucchini on my grill pan. I could have waited and shared Larry's barbecue, but I was putting all these together a couple of hours before dinner, and it was easier to use the stove.

I sliced the zucchini in half across, and then in lengthwise in slices. I brushed them with olive oil and grilled them 4-5 minutes until tender, then flipped them for a couple more minutes. Then I sprinkled them with salt and pepper and squeezed on a little lemon juice.

I combined them all into a salad platter with the zest and texture to complement the main course.