For this fantastic summer dish, simply grill a variety of vegetables, then brush them with fresh pesto (store bought pesto is great in a pinch!).  It makes a delicious antipasto or side dish to any meal.  

Grilled Vegetables with Pesto

Serves 4-6

For the pesto:
Makes about 3/4 cup

1 large bunch fresh basil, thick stems removed
1-2 small cloves garlic
1 T pine nuts, toasted
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Wash and thoroughly dry the basil.

In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the metal blade, pulse the garlic and pine nuts until finely chopped.
Add the basil and process until finely chopped (you may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula a few times during chopping).

With the blades still running, add the olive oil in a stream through the feed tube until the "pesto" begins to form and easily flows around the bowl.

Remove to a bowl, and mix in Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Set aside.  Note: Press a piece of plastic wrap over pesto so the air does not turn it black.

For vegetables:
2 Italian eggplant, sliced lengthwise
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise
1 red pepper, halved lengthwise and seeds/stem discarded
1 red onion, quartered

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Brush all vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place on grill and cook approximately 5-7 minutes per side (keep an eye on them, because depending on size, some may cook faster than others).

Remove to a platter and brush with pesto.

Recipe by Tracy Holleran of The Secret Ingredient Cooking School in Fairfield, Connecticut.
www.TheSecretIngredientOnline.com

For more of Tracy's recipes, check out her food blog at www.twolia.com/blogs/season-to-taste