Mixed Grilled Vegetable Platter with Pesto Dipping Sauce

Nothing tastes like summer, to me, more than grilled vegetables. Grilling enhances the natural sweetness and nuances of vegetables more than any other cooking technique.

A colorful platter of grilled vegetables is a wonderful appetizer, accompaniment to a main course, or the starring attraction, served with a side of mixed grains or pasta.

Though I relish intricate, kicked-up marinades and sauces for grilled meats and chicken, my sensibilities consider most of them an intrusion upon the essence of grilled vegetables. The following Almond-Dill Pesto is a tasty, but optional, embellishment.

Using charcoal versus gas grill will always be a popular summer-time debate, even when grilling vegetables. The bottom line is most foods barbecued, grilled or smoked over hard woods and/or charcoal are generally tastier; but gas grills require far less finesse and fuss.

Wire vegetable grilling baskets are handy for grilling vegetables but I don’t bother, unless I’m grilling small pieces or using only one type of vegetable. Long-handled utensils like basting brushes for olive oil, spatulas, and tongs make the job of grilling much easier.

Like beauty pageant contestants garnishing admiration as they take their turn down the aisle, the parade of seasonal vegetables tantalize as they appear in produce bins and on farmer’s tables. Through spring’s first asparagus to autumn’s late squash, this recipe suggests contestants for your grill in the coming months; add or subtract according to personal whim.