Ingredients
- 6oz Mixed Greens or Mache
- 4-6 medium sized Yellow & Green Zucchini Squash
- 1/2 cup Colorado Cherve or Crumbled Goat Cheese
- 1 cup Small Tomatoes like Cherry or Grape
- 1 cup Toasted Spiced Walnuts (Recipe Follows)
- 2 cups Balsamic Vinaigrette (Recipe Follows)
- 1 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Pepper
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Grilled Zucchini Salad with Colorado Cherve, Tomato & Spiced Walnuts
Time: 10 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook
Servings: 4
Directions
- Thinly slice the zucchini to about ¼â thick. Be careful not to go too thin or your slices will burn on the grill. I suggest using a Japanese mandoline to keep all the slices uniform.
- Place all of the sliced zucchini in a ziplock bag, add one cup of the balsamic vinaigrette and a tablespoon of minced garlic. Lightly shake the bag and use your fingers to make sure the vinaigrette thoroughly coats the zucchini. Place in the refrigerator and let it sit for two to four hours.
- Remove the zucchini from the refrigerator twenty minutes before grilling. Grill the zucchini on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. There should be beautiful grill marks on each side.
- When you pick up the zucchini with tongs in the middle and the zucchini is limp then itâs ready. Place on a plate and let cool to room temperature.
- Cut all the tomatoes in half and toss with a splash of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl. Let the tomatoes marinate for at least five minutes. CHEFâS NOTE: Never refrigerate your fresh tomatoes or they will become mealy and unpleasant.
- When all the components are completed, itâs time to plate. Toss the mixed greens in a bowl with a few tablespoons of vinaigrette, salt and pepper, then top with the tomatoes, zucchini, walnuts and small chunks of goat cheese. Drizzle a touch more vinaigrette on top and enjoy.
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Summary
This salad is a healthy alternative to burgers and dogs when you want to get your grill going. As we get closer to the local harvesting season tomatoes and zucchini become more readily available which will make your salad even tastier. What I love about this salad is that there are so many textures and colors so that the variety of presentations are limitless. I would suggest placing all of the ingredients in individual small bowls on the counter, lay four plates in front of you and let your creativity shine.
