Italian Vegetables

ROASTED ZUCCHINI WITH TOMATOES
Ingredients:
3 small zucchini, trimmed and cut into coins
5 ripe, roma tomatoes, cut into coins
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
salt & pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the zucchini and tomato slices side by side in an appropriately sized baking dish. Once they are all attractively arranged, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the minced garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden and tender for about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor.

GRILLED MIX VEGETABLES
Ingredients:
3 medium zucchini
5 ripe, roma tomatoes, cut Into Coins
1 medium eggplant
2 large, ripe tomatoes
1 large red onion
olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper
10 fresh basil leaves

Preparation:
Prepare the grill, and while you are waiting for it to heat up, prepare the vegetables. Trim the ends off the zucchini, and cut them lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices. Trim the eggplant, and cut it into 1/2 inch rounds. Slice the tomatoes in half, removing most of the core. Cut the onion into 1 inch slices leaving the skin on, and secure the slices by running through bamboo skewers from one side to the other.

Lightly brush the vegetables with olive oil before you place them on the grill, and cook them until they are tender and browned.
Place the tomatoes cut side down on the grill and cook until this side is slightly blackened. Once the vegetables have all been cooked, remove them and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Cut the zucchini and eggplant slices into 2 inch pieces. Place these in a large serving bowl, and remove the skewers from the onion.
Take off the skin, and cut the onion into 1 inch pieces.

Coarsely chop the tomatoes, and add both of these vegetables to the eggplant and zucchini. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.
Roughly tear the basil leaves and add them to the bowl.
Carefully toss the ingredients together, and then let sit 1 hour for the flavors to meld.

BAKED BABY ARTICHOKE
Ingredients:
12 to 16 baby artichokes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
For the topping:
1 cup bread crumbs
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
Additional oil for drizzling

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Clean the artichokes by peeling the stems, chopping off the top third, and peeling off the outer, tough leaves. Keep the prepared artichokes in a bowl of water with a little lemon added to prevent discoloration while you finish cleaning the rest.

In a small casserole dish large enough to hold them all, add the artichokes, the garlic, olive oil and white wine. Add a little water if needed to bring the level up to almost cover the artichokes, cover, and then bake them in the preheated oven until they are tender. Usually this will take between 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the artichokes from the oven, and increase the temperature to 425 degrees F. Pour off any excess liquid from the cooked chokes, and set aside.

Mix together the ingredients listed for the topping, and sprinkle this over the artichokes in the casserole dish. Drizzle on a little additional olive oil, and bake the archokes just until the topping becomes golden brown. Serve immediately, or at room temperature.

STUFFED MUSHROOM
Ingredients:
16 large mushroom caps
1 bag fresh baby spinach, Chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup finely diced pancetta (or bacon if pancetta is unavailable)
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more to drizzle on the caps before baking
3/4 cup grated pecorino Romano Cheese
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
salt & pepper

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Wipe the mushrooms with a clean damp towel, and remove the stems. Cut off the root end of the stem, and then coarsely chop the rest.

Heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy saucepan, and cook the onions, pancetta and chopped mushroom stems until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the chopped spinach, and cook until wilted. Add the bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of cheese and salt and pepper. Mix well.
Place the mushroom caps flat on a baking sheet and carefully spoon the filling into each.

Drizzle the tops with a little additional olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms feel soft when pierced with a fork. Serve warm or at room temperature.'

My filling is primarily vegetable based, using just a little pancetta for flavoring. You can bake these ahead of time, and reheat them just before serving. The white cultivated, or button mushroom seems to work best in this recipe. A little finely chopped sun-dried tomato can be added to this recipe as well.

BROCCOLI WITH PROSCIUTTO CRISPS
Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli, florets cut from head
4 thin slices of prosciutto, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
dash of red pepper flakes

Preparation:
Cook the broccoli in boiling salted water until tender crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan, and once bubbling add the prosciutto. Cook until crisp and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, and mix well. Cook a minute or two more. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Add the broccoli, and cook it over medium heat stirring to coat broccoli with the oil mixture for 2 minutes. Serve immediately, or at room temperature.

ROASTED MUSHROOM AND ASPARAGUS
Ingredients:
1 pound baby portablello mushrooms, washed, dried and sliced thickly
1 pound asparagus
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the woody stems off of the asparagus spears, and cut them into 2 inch pieces.
Mix the olive oil with the garlic, herbs and seasonings in an ovenproof casserole dish large enough to fit all of the mushrooms and asparagus pieces.
Add the mushrooms to the dish, and mix well, coating the mushrooms with the flavored oil. Bake for about 10 minutes, and then add the asparagus pieces. Stir to mix and continue baking another 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the heat, and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar.

Buon appetito!

 

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