Char-grilled Vegetable Platter

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Serves 4

These colourful grilled vegetables, topped with a fresh tomato and basil salsa and creamy Camembert cheese, make a wonderful vegetarian main course. The vegetables could also be cooked, all at the same time, on a barbecue. Enjoy with toasted ciabatta slices and a green salad.

Ingredients

1 small acorn or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into slices

3 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, thickly sliced

2 courgettes, thickly sliced

1 aubergine, thickly sliced

1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into wide strips

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into wide strips

200g asparagus, trimmed

2 large flat mushrooms, thickly sliced

4 small ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

200g Camembert cheese, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the squash and cook for about 3 minutes until slightly softened. Drain.
2. Preheat a large cast-iron, ridged griddle. Pour the oil into a small pan. Using a pastry brush, very lightly coat the onion slices with oil and char-grill for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large platter and keep warm. Oil and char-grill the courgette and aubergine slices in the same way, then add to the platter.
3. Char-grill the pepper strips, without oil, for 3–4 minutes on each side until charred and slightly softened. Transfer to the platter. Very lightly oil the asparagus and char-grill, turning occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Add to the platter.
4. Very lightly oil the mushrooms and par-boiled squash and char-grill for about 3 minutes, turning once. Add to the platter.
5. Add the tomatoes, garlic and basil to the oil remaining in the small pan. Heat through gently and season to taste. Pour this mixture over the grilled vegetables and scatter the Camembert over the top.