Grilled Zucchini Bruschetta With Roasted Garlic

1. 1

   Roasting the garlic: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop off the top 1/2 inch of an entire head of garlic so that the top of each clove has been cut off and is exposed.

2. 2

   Roasting the garlic: Rub/brush on 1/2 tablespoon (or as much as you see fit) of the good olive oil around and into the top of the now severed clove, making sure to soak the various nooks and crannies. Place in the preheated oven, wrapped in foil, cut side up and exposed, for 20 minutes or until the garlic is caramelized and spreadable. Sometimes, it's nice to roast several heads at once and make a spread to use throughout the week.

3. 3

   Roasting the garlic: Once the roasted garlic is ready, crack/peel apart the head and squeeze out the inside clove from the root to the open end (kind of like toothpaste). Collect the mushy innards and set aside.

4. 4

   Make the marinade: Wash and slice the zucchini and yellow squash at an angle to form large, 1/4-1/2 inch slices. In a large bowl, whisk the balsamic vinegar, the rest of the olive oil, the sugar, the minced garlic together and salt and pepper, briefly. Place the squash slices into the mixture and coat evenly and set aside.

5. 5

   Grilling Zucchini: As you are preparing/chopping the ingredients in the next step, let the marinade sit and turn on the grill to let it heat up. The marinade does not need more than 20-30 minutes to soak. Once the grill has been even heated at a medium-high flame, place the squash directly onto the grill, cooking 3-4 minutes on each side. Set the cooked squash aside.

6. 6

   Make the bruschetta: Chop the blanched, peeled, and deseeded tomatoes into 1/4-1/2 inch chunks or do the same with canned, whole tomatoes and lightly drain excess moisture. To shred the basil leaves, roll 3-4 leaves lengthwise so that the leaves form a tube and then chop along the length of the tube, making cuts as thin as possible. Add the shredded leaves to the chopped tomatoes. Add 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of the zucchini marinade liquid to your tomatoes and basil (try to avoid letting pieces of the minced garlic get into your spoonful). Toss the three ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. 7

   Prepare bread: Slice the french bread at an angle to form 8, 1-inch thick slices. Thinly spread the butter on both sides of each slice and place on grill. Grill each side of the bread for 2 minutes on each side at medium heat. Take the bread off the grill when done and set aside.

8. 8

   Assemble: For each slice of bread, spread an even layer of roasted garlic, dividing the amount evenly per slice. Then place one slice each of the grilled yellow squash and zucchini on top. Gently spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the bruschetta, lightly drained, onto the zucchini. Take . Place a mozzarella slice on top. Place each assembled slice into the grill at medium heat, close the grill and let sit for approximately 3-4 minutes or until the bottoms are crunchy and the mozzarella is melted. Serve immediately.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.