Name: Grilled Eggplant and Red Peppers with Mint-Cumin Dressing
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds; 2 red bell peppers , cored, seeded, and cut into 2-inch planks; 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; Kosher salt and ground black pepper; 1 small garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 tablespoons plain yogurt; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Why This Recipe Works

Our perfect grilled vegetable recipe would have to produce charred-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside veggies with great smoky flavor and a lively dressing. Matching the vegetables in pairs doubled up our recipe’s flavor, while cooking them over moderate heat for 20 minutes gave us a great result, both inside and out. To finish our grilled vegetables recipe, we drizzled them with a quick vinaigrette while they were still warm, which boosted their flavor without overpowering them.

Before You Begin

The vegetables can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. After about five minutes, faint grill marks should begin to appear on the undersides of the vegetables; if necessary, adjust their position on the grill or adjust the heat level.

Instructions

Brush eggplant and bell peppers evenly with ¼ cup olive oil and season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt) and pepper to taste.

Whisk remaining tablespoon olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, yogurt, mint, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon table salt) together in small bowl; set aside.

Grill vegetables over medium heat, turning once, until tender and caramelized, 16 to 18 minutes (move vegetables as needed to ensure even cooking). Transfer vegetables to platter, rewhisk dressing, pour over vegetables, and serve.