Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2      medium        red onions
   1                    garlic cloves -- minced (1 to 2)
     2/3  cup           olive oil
     1/4  cup           red wine vinegar
   1      teaspoon      salt -- to 2 tsp
     1/2  teaspoon      freshly-ground black pepper
   1      bunch         fresh oregano or marjoram leaves -- washed and chopped
   1      medium        Japanese eggplant
                        (or 2 small Japanese eggplants)
   1                    zucchini -- trimmed
   1                    yellow crookneck squash -- trimmed
   1      large         red bell pepper -- stemmed and seeded
   1                    fennel bulb -- trimmed and
                        -- scrubbed
                        lettuce

Preparation:

Preheat broiler or grill. Place whole onions, unpeeled, on a small foil-covered baking pan under broiler or directly on a moderately hot grill and cook, turning every 8 to 10 minutes for 20 to 30 minutes or until charred on the outside and soft all the way through. Set aside to cool. Make vinaigrette by whisking together the garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and chopped oregano. Trim the ends from the eggplant, squashes, peppers and fennel, cut in quarters lengthwise and toss in a bowl with half the vinaigrette. Grill or broil slowly until lightly golden and cooked through -- about 5 to 10 minutes for squashes, peppers and eggplant, 15 minutes for fennel. Cut vegetables in 2-inch pieces and toss in remaining vinaigrette, then serve on lettuce-lined plates.