Grilled Steak With Summer Vegetables

Eating seasonally is a simple way to get a double benefit: it’s a natural source of variety in your diet, and it saves money since you aren’t paying to have your food trucked in from across the country. This recipe is a quick and easy way to use any mix of summer veggies – summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, or whatever you can find. Use a variety of colors to keep it interesting: I used yellow carrots, but any other color (or all of them!) will work just as well. If you belong to a CSA (another great money-saving habit), try throwing in whatever comes in your box.

Full-flavored steak and grilled vegetables make this recipe a rich and satisfying meal, while a fresh vinaigrette adds a sophisticated tangy taste to the finished product. I used fresh herbs for the vinaigrette, so I had to use a food processor to properly mix the dressing, but you could just as easily use the same spices dried. To substitute with the dried herbs, simply use a teaspoon of dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh. ½ cup is 8 tablespoons, so that means 8 teaspoons of dried parsley and 8 teaspoons of dried basil (about 1/6 of a cup of each) if you go this route.

Since this recipe relies on the flavor of the ingredients themselves instead of on heavy sauces, picking a good steak is essential. Check out the art of cooking steak for tips on choosing and cooking the steak to really make it shine: if you’re going to spend money on a fancy cut of meat, you don’t want it to turn out tough or unpleasant. With a little foreknowledge of how to cook the steak properly, you’ll be all set to grill up a memorable meal, and then get away from the barbecue to sit back and enjoy the evening.

Grilled Steak And Summer Veggies Recipe

Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cooking Time: 12 min.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lb. beef flank steak;
• 4 small zucchini, cut lengthwise;
• 4 big carrots cut lengthwise;
• 2 cups of grape tomatoes, halved;
• ½ cup red onions, chopped;

Fresh Herbs Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped;
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped;
• 1 clove garlic, chopped;
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard;
• Juice from half a lemon;
• 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;

Preparation

1. In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette except for the olive oil. Blend all the ingredients for one minute, and then slowly pour in the olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and reserve.
2. Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.
3. Grill the flank steak about 8 minutes for medium rare, or more if you like it well done. Once cooked, remove from the grill and set aside to rest.
4. In a bowl, combine the zucchini, the carrots, the red onions and 1 tbsp. of the vinaigrette and combine well. Place the vegetables on the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, flipping them once.
5. Cut the cooked steak into slices and, in a big bowl, combine the steak, the cooked vegetables, and the grape tomatoes.
6. Add the remaining vinaigrette and toss to mix; season to taste with sea salt and black pepper before serving.