Deconstructed Grilled Ratatouille Skewers

In a large Pyrex dish combine the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, dried basil and dried oregano using a whisk. This is the marinade for the vegetable ribbons. Set aside.

Cut the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and squash. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise (you’ll only use half of it). Set your mandolin on the second thinnest setting. Start by slowly and carefully gliding the eggplant along and through the blade. Make sure to get as long of a slice as possible. Continue slicing using the mandolin until all of the eggplant has been sliced. Place the eggplant slices in the marinade.

The squash and zucchini are easier to guide through the mandolin than the eggplant because they are smaller. It is also helpful to cut them in half lengthwise and then guide the vegetable through, cut-side down. Slice the squash and zucchini using the same setting on the mandolin as the eggplant. When all ribbons have been sliced, place them in the marinade. Toss them using tongs to evenly coat all the slices.

Start skewering one slice of vegetable at a time. Skewer one end, then loop the piece back over itself and skewer it again. Place a different vegetable on the skewer and do the same process. It is easiest to loop two different vegetables at a time and work closer to the sharp end. After you have successfully looped a vegetable ribbon back and forth, slide it further down the skewer and start working with another vegetable. Basically, you want to make a ribbon candy pattern and alternate the vegetables so they aren’t all one color in a row.

Once all vegetables have been skewered, place them on a tray and pour the marinade over them and marinate until you are ready to grill. Vegetables can last a day in the fridge.

Heat the grill or grill pan for a few minutes over medium heat. Lightly oil the grates before you add the veggies. Place the skewers on the grill with the bigger looped side down. Grill for seven minutes on each side, flipping once.

While the second side is grilling, add the cherry tomatoes to a food processor and puree for a minute. Set aside. Chop the basil and parsley and then combine it with the gluten-free breadcrumbs. Place the tomato puree, goat cheese and herb-breadcrumb mix into three small bowls.

Arrange the cooked skewers on a serving platter along with the three toppings. For the true ratatouille experience, top the hot skewer with tomato puree, breadcrumbs and then the goat cheese.