Barbecue Vegetable Salad

Barbecue Vegetable Salad

This knife-and-fork dinner salad is full of char and crunch, topped off with a festive dressing to incorporate into your summer repertoire. It’s also an ideal way to use up any grillable vegetables. On a verdant bed of romaine lettuce, kale and cilantro, pile on grilled summer vegetables and peaches and a shower of corn chips. Beans add protein, though you could also top with quinoa, grilled tempeh bacon or another protein. While barbecue sauce doesn’t often coat lettuce, here it becomes a tangy, thick and pleasantly sweet salad dressing with the addition of a little lime juice to loosen and brighten. If you have some ranch in the fridge, drizzle zigzags of it on top too; the duo tastes like an herb-flecked Thousand Island dressing. Eat this big salad solo or with a side of cornbread.

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 50 minutes

1 bunch lacinato kale (about 9 ounces), stems removed and leaves thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

1 head romaine, thinly sliced

1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems thinly sliced

1/2 cup store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

2 ripe, firm peaches, cut into 1-inch-thick wedges

1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges through the root

1 pound grilling vegetables (see note)

Neutral oil such as grapeseed, for greasing

Handful of crushed corn chips

1. Heat grill to medium-high. In large shallow bowl or platter, sprinkle kale with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Squeeze with your hands until shiny and softened. Add romaine and cilantro and toss to coat. Set aside. In small bowl, stir together barbecue sauce and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In separate small bowl, stir together beans and 2 tablespoons of barbecue-lime mixture. On a sheet pan or large bowl, toss peaches, onion and vegetables with enough oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Clean and grease the grates. Grill the peaches and vegetables until charred and tender, 2 to 10 minutes, depending on the density and size of the vegetables. If using a gas grill, close the grill between flips. Return to the bowl or sheet pan and head back inside.

3. Drizzle some of the dressing over the greens, then arrange the grilled vegetables, peaches, beans and chips on top. Drizzle with more dressing. Eat right away, with any remaining dressing and additional chips alongside.

Note: This salad tastes good with any number of vegetables, including zucchini, eggplant, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, peppers and radishes, so use what you have or what looks good to you. Cut the vegetables into pieces that are large enough so they don’t slip through the grates. For small or slender vegetables, like snap peas or green beans, leave them whole.