Antipasto: Grilled Vegetables, Artichoke & Gigante Bean Stew, Meyer Soaked Yukons

This antipasto is great to take to an event or a picnic and tastes just as good at room temperature.


Crisp red bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant tossed in rich olive oil and grilled. Yukon gold potatoes drenched in Meyer lemon juice and a rich artichoke stew brimming with Gigante beans and herbed tomato sauce.

Grilled Vegetables
1/4c extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 zucchini, cut on a bias
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tbl dried basil
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 walla walla onion, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
2 tbl meyer lemon juice
1 tsp meyer lemon zest
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 large yukon gold potato, whole
1 package vegan meatballs

Artichoke and Gigante Bean Stew
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sprig of rosemary
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1c artichoke hearts
1c gigante beans in oil, drained but not rinsed
1-15oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes

Preheat a grill on medium high heat.
In a large bowl combine 1/4c oil, salt and pepper. Add the red pepper, zucchini and eggplant. Toss all the vegetables together. Grill them off, 4-5 minutes on each side until tender with nice dark grill marks.
In a small bowl combine 1 tbl oil, dried basil and sage and toss the onion slices in it. Grill off the onions.
Pierce the potato a couple times all over and pop in the microwave for 3 minutes. You only want to cook it 3/4 of the way. While hot slice into 1/4 inch rounds and toss with the meyer lemon juice, zest, pepper and minced garlic. Grill off the potatoes until fully cooked through.

Artichoke Stew
In a medium sauce pot heat the oil and brown the meatballs until fully cooked. Remove meatballs from the pot and set aside. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir until garlic is browned. Add the artichoke hearts and beans, saute for 4 more minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes and season more to taste.