Vegetable Melange Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, Add the vegetables and toss well, then cover until cooked and tender but not mushy (about 8 minutes). Stir every couple of minutes.
• Add the cream and mustard and bring back to a simmer. Cook for a couple of minutes more, then remove from the heat, sprinkle over the parmesan, season to taste, stir then serve.

Steps:

• Unless the eggplant is very small, cut it in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 1/4-inch slices. There should be about 2 1/2 cups. (If it is very small, cut it into rounds.)
• Repeat this procedure with the yellow squash and zucchini, cutting as indicated, depending on size. There should be about 2 cups of each.
• Heat the oil in a heavy, deep skillet or casserole. When it is quite hot add the eggplant and onions. Cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes.
• Add pepper flakes, zucchini and yellow squash, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover and continue cooking about five minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and basil and stir to blend.

Steps:

• Cut the zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise into quarters. Cut the pieces crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. There should be about 3 1/2 cups of each vegetable.
• Cut the onion into 1/2-inch or slightly smaller pieces. There should be about 2 cups.
• Cut each tomato into quarters. Cut the quarters into 1/2-inch pieces. There should be about 2 1/2 cups.
• Check the spinach to remove and discard any tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse the spinach thoroughly and spin or pat dry.
• Heat the oil in a skillet and add the garlic and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is wilted.
• Add the zucchini, yellow squash, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper and stir.
• Cook about 5 minutes or slightly less and add the tomatoes. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Add the spinach to the vegetables and stir. Cover and cook about 4 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and serve.

Steps:

• First prepare the vegetables: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Also, have ready a large bowl of ice water, with more ice in reserve. Add the potatoes and cook until barely tender, about 15 minutes (depending on their size). Lift out, drain, peel, and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Remove the strings from the green beans if necessary. Cut into short pieces (about 1/4 inch) and cook with the peas until barely tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Scoop out the beans and peas with a strainer or slotted spoon and at once plunge them into the ice bath to stop the cooking. Scoop out and drain. Peel the carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice, and cook until barely tender, about 3 to 5 minutes, chilling and draining in the same way. Separate the cauliflower into small florets; cook until barely tender, about 4 to 6 minutes, chilling and draining in the same way. Set the vegetables aside.
• Remove and discard the tops and seeds from the guajillo chiles. Rinse the guajillos under cold running water and shake off the excess moisture, but do not dry them. Heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Place a few guajillos on the griddle and heat, turning occasionally with tongs, just until any clinging moisture is evaporated and the aroma is released, about 25 seconds. (The chiles should just become dry, hot, and fragrant; do not allow them to start really roasting or they will have a terrible scorched flavor.) Remove from the griddle as they are done, and repeat with the remaining guajillos.
• Place the guajillo and amarillo chiles in a deep bowl, cover generously with boiling water, and let soak for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grind the canela in an electric coffee or spice grinder.
• Drain the chiles and place in a blender with the ground canela, garlic, thyme, vinegar, and enough water to facilitate blending (about 1 cup). Process to a smooth purée, about 3 minutes on high. With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the purée through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl.
• In a large non-reactive bowl, toss the cooked vegetables with the pruéed chile mixture and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably longer. It will be better if left overnight - or even better after two days.
• When ready to serve, combine the cheese, sliced onion, and oregano in a small bowl and toss to distribute evenly. Pour vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet to a depth of 1 inch and heat to 375° F. Fry the tortillas, 2 at a time, just until crisp (20 to 30 seconds on each side). Lift out to drain on paper towels as they are done. Top each with a few spoonfuls of the marinated vegetables and scatter some of the cheese-onion mixture over the vegetables. You may omit the fried tortillas and serve with fresh corn tortillas or fried tortilla chips.
• The chileajo mixture also makes a good side dish. Omit the fried tortillas and heap the marinated vegetables on a serving platter, topping with the cheese-onion mixture.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Wrap beets tightly in foil and roast in middle of oven 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Unwrap beets carefully and cool until they can be handled. Slip off and discard skins and stems. Cut each beet into 6 wedges. Beets may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water. In a large saucepan of salted boiling water blanch turnips 3 to 6 minutes (depending on size), or until barely tender, and transfer with a slotted spoon to ice water. Return water in pan to a boil and blanch carrots 5 minutes, or until barely tender. Transfer carrots with a slotted spoon to ice water and drain turnips and carrots in a colander. If using baby turnips, cut each in half.
• Return water in pan to a boil and blanch onions 3 minutes, or until barely tender. Drain onions in another colander until cool enough to handle and peel. Vegetables may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead, patted dry, and chilled, covered. Bring vegetables to room temperature before proceeding.
• In a large non-stick skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté turnips and carrots with pepper and salt to taste, stirring, until tender and golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer turnips and carrots with slotted spoon to a bowl and keep warm, covered. Add oil to skillet and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté onions with pepper and salt to taste, stirring, until tender and golden brown, about 4 minutes, and with slotted spoon add to turnip mixture. Stir parsley into vegetable mixture.
• In oil remaining in skillet cook beets with pepper and salt to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until heated through.
• Serve beets with other vegetables (but do not toss together).

Steps:

• Scrape the carrots and leave them whole. Peel the turnip and the potato and cut them in half. Cut each half into 6 or 8 segments.
• Place the green beans, carrots and the onions in a saucepan. Add water to cover, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add turnip and potato. Cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain well.
• Heat the butter in a skillet. Add the shallots and cook briefly, then add the vegetables, salt and pepper and thyme. Cook for 1 minute while stirring and shaking the skillet.

Steps:

• Shave squash and carrot into ribbons using a vegetable peeler or mandolin.
• Heat oil in skillet, saute onion and carrot until almost tender. Add squashes and saute 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat and toss with lemon juice, red pepper, and parsley.

Steps:

• Heat dressing in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add onions; cook 5 min., stirring occasionally.
• Add frozen vegetables and tomatoes; cover. Cook 5 min. or until heated through. Stir in sour cream; cook on low heat 1 min. (Do not boil.)
• Serve topped with Parmesan.