Zucchini and Sweet Pepper Marinated Appetizer

Yields about 3 cups of marinated veggies

2 medium zucchini, about 750 grams (might be substituted with eggplants), thinly sliced
2 large yellow sweet peppers, cleaned and cut into medium strips
About 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Some salt

Marinade
2 cups water, room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
10-12 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon red pepper crushed
2 medium-sized bay leaves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white vinegar

Place a grill pan on a medium-high heat and spray with non-stick baking spray. Place zucchini slices on a board and brush them with vegetable oil, then sprinkle with salt on both sides. Prepare a big plate covered with a paper towel.

Place zucchini slices on a pan and grill for 1 to 3 minutes per side, or until char marks form and the zucchini is tender but still has some bite. Remove the slices from the pan onto a paper towel and continue with another batch of slices.

To make a marinade, place a medium pot on medium-high heat and add 2 cups of water, sugar, salt, black peppercorns, red pepper, and bay leaves. Bring almost to the boil, add vegetable oil and sweet pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes and add vinegar. Continue to simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and wait for about 5 minutes

Prepare a lidded container. Layer peppers and zucchini, and pour the marinade over to cover the veggies. Cover with a lid. Leave in a container for about one hour and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Just before serving, adjust spices. Add if needed (I added a bit of lemon juice) Serve as an appetizer with bread, crackers, or lavash.