Join “Jayni’s Kitchen” this week for “Grilling Summer Vegetables.”

Host Jayni Carey will prepare the following recipes: Grilled Greek Salad, Grilled Fennel Salad, Grilled Eggplant Casserole, Grilled Mexican Casserole, Grilled Beets and Carrots with Raspberry-Tarragon Vinaigrette, Grilled Spinach and Red Pepper with Blue Cheese, and Grilled Potatoes and Onions.

A new show airs at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6. The show also is broadcast at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday; 9 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday; 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday; 9:30 a.m. Saturday; 10:30 p.m. Sunday; and 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Grilled Greek Salad

1 large head romaine lettuce

1 sweet orange or yellow pepper, quartered, seeds and pith removed

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved

3 to 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Option: 4 to 6 ounces slender green beans, cooked to tender-crisp

Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Remove the damaged outer leaves from the head of lettuce. Trim off damaged tops. Cut the head in half lengthwise through the heart. Cut each half lengthwise into quarters, keeping each quarter intact. Rinse the lettuce wedges under cold water, carefully rinsing between the leaves. Drain the lettuce by spinning in a salad spinner, or on paper towels, until mostly dry. Tie a piece of string around the center of each lettuce wedge to keep the leaves intact while grilling. Set aside while roasting the peppers.

Brush the quartered peppers with olive oil. Grill them skin side down over high heat on a covered gas or charcoal grill for about 3 minutes, or until the skins are wrinkled and charred. Quickly enclose the pepper slices in a plastic or paper bag for about 20 minutes to steam for easier peeling. Peel the pepper slices and slice them into thin strips.

Brush the lettuce wedges generously with olive oil. Grill them over high heat on a covered grill for about 30 seconds each side, until the outsides are lightly charred, but the leaves are not wilted.

Prepare the tomatoes, olives and feta cheese as directed and set aside.

Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Whisk in the olive oil.

To assemble, remove the strings from the grilled lettuce wedges and place each wedge on a large plate. Top and surround the lettuce with roasted pepper slices, tomato, and olives. Option: Arrange the cooked green beans on the side. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and top with crumbled feta cheese. Serves 4.

Grilled Fennel Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing

2 medium fennel bulbs

Extra-virgin olive oil

Creamy Lemon Dressing:

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 head leaf lettuce, rinsed and drained

Lemon thyme sprigs

Remove the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulbs and discard. Trim off a thin slice from the base of the bulbs and remove any blemished or tough outer layers. Slice the bulbs vertically through the core into 1/4-inch thick slices. Brush the fennel slices generously with olive oil. Grill over medium-high heat on a covered gas or charcoal grill, 2 to 3 minutes each side, until the fennel slices are lightly charred and caramelized.

Creamy Lemon Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon thyme, sour cream, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil.

Place 1 or 2 lettuce leaves on each salad plate. Arrange the grilled fennel slices on the leaves. Drizzle the lemon dressing over top. Garnish with lemon thyme sprigs. Serves 4 to 6.

Grilled Beets and Carrots with Raspberry-Tarragon Vinaigrette

4 medium beets (about 12 ounces total), rinsed and trimmed

3 medium carrots, trimmed and peeled

Raspberry-Tarragon Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons raspberry jelly

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, minced

2 tablespoons canola oil

Fresh tarragon sprigs

Partially cook the beets in a pot of boiling water for 12 to 14 minutes, until they are tender-firm. Cool and peel. Slice the beets into 1/2-inch thick slices. In a separate pot, partially cook the carrots in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender-firm.

Raspberry-Tarragon Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the jelly, vinegar and salt, whisking until the jelly dissolves. Add the tarragon and whisk in the canola oil.

Brush the beets and carrots lightly with some of the vinaigrette and grill them over medium heat on a covered gas or charcoal grill for 2 minutes. Turn the vegetables over, brush with vinaigrette and grill for 2 minutes more. Slice the carrots diagonally into 1-inch slices.

To serve, arrange the grilled beets and carrots on a large platter or four salad plates. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and garnish with fresh tarragon sprigs. Serves 4.

Grilled Spinach and Red Pepper with Blue Cheese

2 bunches spinach (large, mature leaves)

1 medium sweet red pepper, halved, seeds and pith removed

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Rice vinegar

2 to 3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Rinse the spinach, leaving the stems intact. Drain the spinach well, but leave some moisture on the leaves. Divide the spinach leaves into 4 equal bunches and tie the stems together tightly with string. Brush the spinach and the red pepper halves with olive oil. Grill the spinach over medium-high heat on a covered gas or charcoal grill, until tender and wilted, about 1 minute each side. Grill the peppers over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes each side.

To serve, place the spinach bunches on four large salad plates and remove the strings. Trim then stems if desired. Slice each pepper half into thin strips. Garnish the spinach with the pepper strips. Sprinkle each with salt, pepper and rice vinegar. Top with crumbled blue cheese. Serves 4.

Grilled Potatoes and Onions

4 small potatoes, 4 to 5 ounces each

2 medium sweet onions

1/4 cup butter, melted

Salt and black pepper

Rinse the potatoes and slice each into thin rounds. Fan each sliced potato out on a piece of aluminum foil. Slice the onions in half vertically. Place each half cut-side down on a cutting surface and slice thinly. Tuck a generous amount of sliced onion between the potato slices. Top each potato with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap and seal the foil tightly around the potatoes. Place them over medium heat on a covered gas or charcoal grill for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the potatoes and onions are tender and caramelized on the bottom. Serves 4.

Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Casserole

1 medium purple eggplant, about 1 pound

1 pound small to medium tomatoes

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

Trim and slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Slice the tomatoes in half, or into 3 thick slices, depending on size. Brush the eggplant and tomato generously with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables on a covered grill over medium-high heat until lightly charred, about 2 to 3 minutes each side for the eggplant and about 1 to 2 minutes each side for the tomatoes.

Oil a 9-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of grilled eggplant on the bottom. Add a layer of tomatoes, sprinkle with half of the basil and top with half of the cheese. Repeat the layer. Place the casserole, uncovered, on a covered grill over medium-high indirect heat, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly. Serves 6.

Grilled Mexican Casserole

3 to 4 ears sweet corn, shucked

1 large sweet onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

1 large green bell pepper, quartered, seeds and pith removed

8 ounces medium tomatoes, halved

Salt and black pepper

Olive oil

1 teaspoon toasted cumin seed, coarsely crushed

Toasted cumin seed: Place the cumin seed in a small skillet over medium heat. Toast, turning often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the seeds from the pan and cool.

– Recipes by Jayni Carey