Tasting Notes

This is a fabulous vegetarian dinner. It’s simple to make, and the flavours are terrific, earthy, sweet, a bit of char, sprinkled with fruity, luscious, olive oil, and pepper and salt, is all that’s needed to complete a great dish. A wonderful baguette with butter adds that extra touch.

Special Note

Today a new regular feature for all our recipes – Prepare Ahead.

This will tell you all the things you can do prior to cooking. And it can be done way ahead of time so there isn’t that rush to try and do everything when cooking. Professional chefs use this technique all the time. The French call it Mise En Place meaning everything is in place to start cooking.

What You Need

2 fresh corns. If not available use three cups of frozen corn.

1 large onion, any kind.

Three cups frozen peas.

4 medium-sized carrots.

10 small bell peppers, different colours.

14 snap peas (if not available omit).

10 button mushrooms.

Salt and pepper.

One cup good quality olive oil.

Two tablespoons butter.

1 baguette, plus butter for spreading on the baguette.

Equipment

One large sheet pan.

Enough foil to cover the sheet pan.

1 large bowl.

2 small bowls.

1 medium-sized frying pan.

1 small sharp knife.

Prepare Ahead

Clean your mushrooms, then cut into thin slices.

Take your carrots and wash them. Cut away the stems, the bottom part and any blemishes.

Take your snap peas and at the top there is a dark like thread. Using your knife grab the thread and then pull down to remove from the pea.

Slice your onion in half, then peel the skin away from each half, and cut into thin slices.

Take your bell peppers, cut in half and remove all the seeds and membrane from them.

Cover your baking sheet with foil.

To your frying pan, add the butter and a few drops of olive oil.

To the bowl add some of the vegetables – other than the onions and mushrooms – and some of the olive oil. Then add some of the veggies (this will have to be done in batches as they can’t all be done at once). Now shake the bowl, ensuring all the veggies are coated in the oil. Then add salt and pepper to taste and shake till salt and pepper are evenly distributed. Then take the veggies and place on the sheet pan. Now take more veggies and repeat everything till all the veggies are done.

Method

Later whenever you are ready to cook – preheat the oven to 425 degrees and cook for 20 minutes.

At the same time pre-heat the oil in your frying pan to medium high and fry your onions till soft and translucent. Once done put into one of the small bowls.

Now repeat the whole frying process with the mushrooms, when done add to the other small bowl.

Five minutes before the veggies finish cooking add your onions and mushrooms.

When the 20 minutes are up, add all ingredients to your large serving platter, ensuring they are nicely displayed. Then add a few drops of olive oli over everything. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place your baguette and butter on the table.

You are now ready to serve.

Delicioso.