V

Skewers with beets, peppers, broccoli, and more make a great vegetarian addition to a charcuterie plate.

Pair them with the puréed chickpeas dipping sauce seasoned with fresh oregano, shallots, capers, oil, and vinegar to add even more flavor. For variety, try adding mozzarella balls, cauliflower florets, small artichoke hearts, or even meatier additions. 

Yield: 12 Kabobs
Prep time: About 1 hour 
Shelf life: 2-3 days

Ingredients 

Dipping sauce
1 (15.5-ounce) can garbanzos, drained, 4 tablespoons liquid reserved
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 ounces extra virgin olive oil, for sauce + 2 ounces for vegetables
1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons drained capers in brine
½ teaspoon salt 
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 
¼ cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves

Vegetables 
3 golden or red beets, about 1 ½ inches in diameter, trimmed 
12 white boiling onions 
24 red peppadew peppers, drained
12 white mushrooms, about 1 ½ inches in diameter, stems trimmed and wiped
12 broccoli florets
12 (2-inch) baby carrots
1-2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 ½ inch squares
1-2 yellow bell peppers, cut into 1 ½ inch squares
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt 
12 (10-inch) bamboo skewers
Balsamic glaze 

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
2. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, the 4 tablespoons reserved liquid, garlic, 3 ounces of the olive oil, vinegar, capers, salt, and pepper and purée until smooth. Add the shallots and oregano, pulse to combine, and scrape into a container. Set aside.
3. Brush the beets lightly with oil, wrap tightly in foil and bake in a flat pan until almost tender, turning once, about 40 minutes. Remove and, when cool enough to handle, peel and cut into quarters. Set aside. Leave the oven on.
4. Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the onions and boil for 2 minutes. Transfer to ice water, drain, cut off the root ends and slide off the skins. Blot dry. Cover the bottom of a skillet with a little oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté over medium-high heat until golden, cover, reduce the heat and cook until just tender, shaking the pan often. Set aside. 
5. In a large bowl, combine the beets with the peppadew peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, and green and yellow bell peppers squares. Add enough oil to lightly coat the vegetables, season with oregano and salt, and roast until the vegetables are lightly browned and almost tender, about 30 minutes, turning them a couple of times. Remove.
6. Thread the vegetables onto the skewers. Lay them on a platter, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic glaze, and serve.