Summer in a bowl: Giada di Laurentiis's Warm Vegetable Salad

Phew!! Summer vacation has finally arrived, and I am so incredibly glad for it! I have sadly been neglecting my little food blog for too long because of final exams, moving all of my stuff out of the dorm, and making the journey back home for a much-needed break from studying. Even though it is still technically springtime, it certainly feels like summer - here in Greensboro, NC it has been shorts-and-flip-flops weather all the way. For me, summertime means farmers markets, fresh vegetables, and getting a chance to reacquaint myself with the foods that are never available during the cold winter months. Eating a mango in December just doesn't hit the spot like eating one in the heat of summer.

And so, folks, I present to you the most incredible, fresh, and SCRUMPTIOUS warm vegetable salad I have ever eaten. And when I say "ever eaten," I mean it! The combination of sweet roasted bell peppers, red potatoes, green beans, green onions, and a lemony vinaigrette is heavenly. Like the title of this post says, it is simply all of the flavors of summer tossed lovingly together into one bowl.

These are the bell peppers after roasting and getting nice and charred! You let them steam for a few minutes so the skin can be easily peeled away from the pepper. 

I will without a doubt be making this salad again and again and again! We ate all of it! Not a scrap was left! It would be delicious cold at a picnic (no mayonnaise, so it's hot-weather friendly!), and I'll definitely be experimenting with different kind of potatoes and vegetables next time. We gobbled it up with roasted salmon on the side, and it was the perfect combination of healthy fats and vitamins from all of the veggie goodness. In other words, it was the perfect opportunity to bask in the fantastic flavors that only fresh vegetables have!

Warm Vegetable Salad

*Recipe courtesy of Giada di Laurentiis @ foodnetwork.com

2 whole red peppers

1 1/2 pound assorted red and white new potatoes

3/4 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved

1 bunch scallions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped oregano leaves

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

pinch red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the broiler. Place the red peppers on a foil lined baking sheet. Place the red peppers under the boiler. Turning every 2 to 3 minutes cook the peppers until the skin is blistered, about 8 to 9 minutes total (Keep an eye on them!). Put the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 10 minutes so the skin will peel off easily and the peppers cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the potatoes to a cutting board. Add the green beans to the pot. Cook the green beans until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the green beans to a large bowl. Slice the potatoes in half while still warm and combine them with the green beans in the large bowl. Remove the peppers from the plastic bag. Peel off the skin from the peppers. Slice the pepper flesh into wide strips and remove the seeds and veins. Place them in the bowl with the potatoes. Add the scallions and toss to combine.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, oregano, lemon juice and zest, and white wine vinegar, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the salt and pepper. Toss the warm vegetables with the herb vinaigrette. Serve immediately.