The Garden & Saucier
A Rainbow of Grilled Veggies with Herbed Ranch Dressing and Spicy Peanut Sauce
The Strategy:
Grilling a colorful assortment of fresh vegetables over high heat highlights their natural sweetness with a lovely smoky char. Offering both a creamy, herbal ranch and a rich, spicy coconut-peanut sauce lets guests customize their flavor experience. Arrange the grilled veggies on a large platter for a stunning, color-coordinated side or main dish.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 to 3 drops hot pepper sauce
- ¼ to ½ cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- Juice of ½ large lime, about 1 tablespoon
- ½ pound medium asparagus spears, about 16
- ½ pound medium carrots, peeled, about 4 to 5
- 1 large fennel bulb, tops removed, cored and cut into ½-inch slices
- 2 large zucchinis, cut lengthwise into ½-inch slices
- 4 large yellow squash, cut lengthwise into ½-inch slices
- 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch slices
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Place the garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, tarragon vinegar, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika into the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse to combine.
- Season with as much hot pepper sauce as you like.
- Pour in ¼ cup half-and-half and pulse. If the dressing is too thick you can add additional half and half. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing into a squeeze bottle and place onto the counter while you move on to the peanut sauce.
- Whisk the red curry paste in a saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the coconut milk, peanut butter, and fish sauce until smooth.
- Turn off the heat and whisk in the lime juice. If the sauce is too thick to flow through a squeeze bottle add more lime juice or thin with water.
- Cool to room temperature and pour into a squeeze bottle.
- Set the bottle on the counter while you move onto the vegetables.
- Lay the vegetables onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a grill (or grill pan) over high heat.
- Grill the vegetables until they begin to soften and char, about 1 to 2 minutes per side depending on the veggie.
- Place the veggies onto a platter and serve warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of ranch dressing, a drizzle of spicy peanut sauce and additional fresh parsley.
Farmer’S Market Tip
If you are grilling veggies for a week night dinner, do double duty by grilling more than you need! You can easily reserve half of the vegetables for later use. Cool to room temperature and place into a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. For a quick soup, pulse the grilled veggies in a food processor with chicken or vegetable broth. Voila! Grilled Veggie Soup.
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The Heart of the Table
This vibrant platter of grilled vegetables is a true celebration of the harvest, looking like a rainbow of colors on the table. The combination of smoky, charred veggies and two delicious, contrasting sauces encourages everyone to reach in, share, and enjoy the clean, wholesome flavors together.
- a solid copper balloon whisk to perfectly aerate ingredients
- a pre-seasoned double-burner cast-iron grill pan with high ridges
- a large, hand-thrown ceramic serving platter with an organic rim
- a pair of squeeze bottles for the ranch and peanut sauces
- a large, flat wooden platter for arranging the veggies by color
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Arrange the grilled veggies by color on a large, flat wooden platter, offering the herbed ranch and spicy peanut sauce in squeeze bottles for artistic drizzling.
- THE POUR: A chilled, mineral-forward Rosé or a refreshing iced green tea infused with lemongrass.
- THE VIBE: Sun-Drenched Deck. Soft acoustic music plays in the background as guests enjoy the smoky, colorful veggies in the warm afternoon breeze.
