Try this wonderful side dish that can be made as healthy or, with the addition of some creamy pepper jack cheese from Ashe County, as decadent as you like.

Ingredients

Yield: 4-6 servings

• 3 Japanese eggplant (the long, skinny kind)
• 1 medium yellow squash
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
• ¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 small shallot, minced (or 1 tablespoon minced red onion)
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Split Japanese eggplant, zucchini, and squash long-ways and sprinkle with salt. Similarly, cut four sides off of red bell pepper and sprinkle with salt. Heat grill.

Prepare a light vinaigrette using sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, shallots, olive oil, and pepper. Grill veggies until grill marks are visible and texture softens (bell peppers can be cooked until completely soft, if preferred). Remove vegetables to a clean plate and let them sit.

Roughly chop vegetables and toss with vinaigrette. If desired, add grated cheese while veggies are still warm — fresh mozzarella or pepper jack cheese would be wonderful here.

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Jay Pierce is the Executive Chef at Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen, with locations in Greensboro and Cary. He loves cooking, teaching others to cook and reading and writing about food.

Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen
Discover American Southern Cuisine rooted in the Piedmont, served in an upscale environment. We use the highest quality ingredients (including a lot of local food) to create our interpretation of classic Southern dishes. Please join us for lunch or dinner, seven days a week, for the highest quality food and drink with friendly, attentive service in our Greensboro restaurant near UNCG and our Cary restaurant near Raleigh, Apex and Holly Springs. We promise you’ll be happy! Click here to make a reservation.

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