Adler & Fertig's Knife and Fork Grilled Vegetable Salad

• FAST
• STAFF-FAVORITE
• VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

1. 1 garlic clove, halved
2. Kosher salt
3. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
4. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
5. 1/4 cup pine nuts
6. 1 large onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
7. 2 small eggplants, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
8. Two 6-ounce zucchini, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
9. Two 6-ounce yellow squash, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
10. Freshly ground pepper
11. 1 red bell pepper
12. 1 yellow bell pepper
13. 1 large head romaine lettuce (1 1/4 pounds), quartered lengthwise
14. 1/4 pound fresh goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

1. Light a grill. In a mortar, pound the halved garlic to a paste with 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the lemon juice.
2. In a small skillet, cook the pine nuts over moderate heat until toasted, about 3 minutes.
3. Thread the onion slices onto two parallel 10-inch skewers. Put the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash slices on 2 large rimmed baking sheets; brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the bell peppers and lettuce with olive oil. Grill the vegetables over a medium hot fire, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and just tender. The onions will take about 5 minutes per side; the eggplant, zucchini and squash, about 3 minutes per side; the peppers, about 3 minutes on each of 4 sides; the lettuce wedges, about 1 minute per side. Scrape the charred skin from the peppers, discard the stems and seeds and cut into strips.
4. Put a lettuce wedge on each plate. Mound the vegetables on the lettuce and sprinkle with the cheese and toasted pine nuts. Pass the lemon vinaigrette at the table.