Broiled Balsamic Vegetables with Lemon Parsley Rice

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 8 oz. button mushrooms
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 medium zucchini
• 4 oz. grape tomatoes
• 1 yellow or purple onion
• 1.5 cups long grain white rice
• 2.5 cups water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley
• Zest of one lemon

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the balsamic marinade: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, Dijon, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cut the mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, and onion into 1-inch pieces, getting them as even as you can, and leave the grape tomatoes whole. Add the vegetables to a gallon-sized zip top bag, pour in the marinade, and gently work the bag with your hands so everything gets coated. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning the bag now and then so the marinade moves around.
2. As the vegetables sit, start the rice. Add the uncooked rice, water, minced garlic, and salt to a medium pot. Cover the pot, set it over high heat, and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat after 15 minutes, leave it covered for 5 more minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork. Let it cool a bit.
3. While the rice cooks, make the lemon parsley mixture. Strip the leaves from about 1/2 bunch of parsley, then chop them very finely, almost like mincing. Zest 1 lemon with a zester, microplane, or the small holes of a cheese grater. Stir the minced parsley, about 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, and olive oil together in a small bowl.
4. Once the rice has cooled just a little, add the lemon parsley mixture and fold it in gently until the grains are coated with parsley, lemon, and olive oil. Don’t stir too aggressively, or the rice can turn pasty.
5. Move an oven rack to the 2nd position from the top and heat the broiler on high. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Spread the marinated vegetables across the baking sheet. If they won’t fit in one layer, divide them between 2 baking sheets so they aren’t crowded.
6. Broil the vegetables about 6-8 inches from the flame for 10 minutes, until the edges pick up a light char. Since broilers can be a little unpredictable, stay nearby and rotate the baking sheet if needed. Stir the vegetables halfway through for more even browning.
7. Spoon lemon parsley rice into each bowl, then top with the broiled balsamic vegetables.