Mixed Garden Vegetables

  This vegetarian recipe brings a rich blend of garden vegetables together in a beautifully seasoned mix of herbs and spices perfect for serving as a side dish at a dinner party. Ingredients: 3 artichokes, cleaned and cut into quarters;
3 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered;
18 baby carrots, peeled;
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed;
3 zucchini, ends trimmed and cut into 1/3 in strips;
1 onion, cut into 1/2 in wedges;
1 pepper, cleaned and quartered;
12 mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed;
extra virgin olive oil;
1 lemon, cut into wedges;
1 garlic clove, minced;
black pepper and salt, to taste. Method: 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the tops of the artichokes, remove the outer leaves, cut the stem away and then rub with a lemon wedge. Cut the artichokes in half, remove the choke and quarter. Add to a bowl of acidulated water.
2. To the pot of boiling water, add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of lemon juice, then add the artichokes and simmer until tender, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the fennel bulbs and the baby carrots to the pot. Cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the asparagus, zucchini, onion, pepper, and mushrooms to a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt, minced garlic and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
5. Remove the parboiled vegetables from the pot and add to the baking dish. Again, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, tossing to coat the vegetables evenly with the mixture.
6. Preheat the grill to high.
7. Grill all the vegetables on both sides until tender-about 8-12 minutes, depending on the vegetables.
8. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.