courgette – TasteFood

Breads, Pasta, Rice, Grains, Main Course, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Roasted Provençal Vegetable Salad

September 25, 2011June 27, 2019by Lynda Balslev19 Comments

~ Roasted Provençal Vegetable Salad with Couscous ~

Consider this as a deconstructed ratatouille – which happens to be oven roasted. The same cast of characters applies, only the method differs. An end of summer symphony of squash, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes are tossed together with olive oil and roasted in the oven until softened and gently charred, instead of simmered and thickened in a pot. The traditional ratatouille stew morphs into a roasted vegetable salad, freshened with a shower of fresh herbs and served over a bed of couscous for a light and healthy meal.

Roasted Provencal Vegetables Salad with Couscous

You may either roast the tomatoes with the vegetables or toss them in at the end for extra freshness. The salad is delicious as is or served over couscous, pasta, or quinoa. Serves 4 -6.

1 medium eggplant, cut in 1/2 inch slices, each slice quartered
2 small zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch slices
2 small yellow squash, cut in 1/2 inch slices
1 large red onion, halved horizontally, each half cut lengthwise in 4 thick chunks
6 baby sweet peppers, stemmed, seeded halved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup Italian parsley sprigs, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
Optional: Crumbled goat or feta cheese as garnish

Heat oven to 375 F. (190 C.) Place all of the eggplant, zucchini, squash and onion in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange on 2 rimmed baking sheets in one layer. Place in oven. Bake until vegetables are tender and turning golden brown, rotating baking pans, to ensure even roasting. Remove from oven and cool. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Add tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs. Toss. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve over couscous. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese if using.

Food Blog Events, gluten-free, GYO, Summer, Tians and Casseroles, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Provençal Vegetable Tian with Goat Cheese and Basil Coulis

August 17, 2009July 31, 2014by Lynda Balslev5 Comments

Tiring of Ratatouille? I am a big fan of the Provençal-inspired stew of summer vegetables, but by the end of August I find myself seeking cues for inspiration in a hungry quest for different ways to use the heaps of squash, zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes harvested from our summer gardens. So, prompted by this month’s Grow Your Own event hosted by Andrea’s Recipes, armed with a shiny new lime-green enameled cast iron pan, and inspired by a scrumptious article on tians in my favorite French magazine, Côté Sud, I decided to create a Provençal Vegetable Tian with homegrown heirloom tomatoes and basil.

Tian is the the French word for a casserole baked in an earthenware dish, layered with seasonal vegetables and cheese. Originating in the south of France, and possibly influenced by the North African couscous pot, the ingredients are decoratively arranged and slow cooked for simple, rustic, flavorful results. What better way to present a typically Provençal selection of vegetables than in a tian? The sliced veggies are tossed in a coulis of puréed basil leaves, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil to give moisture and the unmistakable flavor of summer. Crumbled soft goat cheese adds a creamy, tangy depth to this vegetarian dish. Baked until the vegetables are tender but not too soft, this tian is delicious straight from the oven or even the next day. Just like a good ratatouille – but different.

Provençal Vegetable Tian with Goat Cheese and Basil Coulis
Serves 4-6

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium, firm eggplant/aubergine, stemmed, quartered lengthwise, cut in 1/2″ thick slices

3 large ripe vine or heirloom tomatoes, cut in 1/2″ thick slices
2 small yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 red or orange sweet peppers, halved, seeded, cut in 2″ square pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut in 1/4″ thick slices
1 medium yellow squash or 2-3 large patty pan squash, cut in 1/4″ thick slices
6 oz. (180 grams) fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Prepare Basil Coulis:
Combine basil and garlic in bowl of food processor. While the machine is running, pour in 1/3 cup (80 ml.) oil in steady stream until consistency resembles a vinaigrette; add more oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Grill Eggplant:
Arrange eggplant slices in one layer on oven tray. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill in oven until eggplant turns golden brown and softens, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven.

Assemble Tian:
Preheat oven to 325 F. (170 C.)
Lightly oil an earthenware baking/gratin dish. In a large bowl, toss slices of grilled eggplant, tomatoes, onions, zucchini and yellow squash with 3/4 of the basil coulis. Arrange slices overlapping on the diagonal in baking dish. Crumble goat cheese over vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake in oven 50 minutes. Remove and allow to cool briefly. Drizzle remaining basil coulis over tian. Garnish with whole basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Zucchini Ribbons with Pecorino Shavings and Truffle Oil

September 25, 2008July 28, 2014by Lynda Balslev2 Comments

Abundance is a good thing, and at this time of year, when the garden has a seemingly endless supply of late summer and autumn squash that it’s throwing to us like a tennis ball machine, it helps to have a repertoire of recipes that puts these gifts to good use.

I discovered this amazingly simple salad in Florence this summer. In true Italian style, it has a minimum of ingredients. The key, of course, is the quality of the ingredients, as they are truly the stars of the show. In this case, end-of-summer zucchini is paired with a nutty, mildly piquant Pecorino and dressed with high quality extra-virgin olive oil and white truffle oil. The olive oil will bind the salad, and the truffle oil will seve as garnish. This is also efficient economically as truffle oil is pricey, so you need only use it sparingly as the final flourish. (Keep your truffle oil in the refrigerator, and it should last between 3-6 months before its aroma begins to weaken.) I bought this bottle directly from the restaurant that served me the salad – my favorite kind of souvenir.

Zucchini Ribbons with Pecorino Shavings and Truffle Oil
Serves 4

As soon as the zucchini is salted it will begin to sweat, so prepare salad immediately before serving. Serves 4-6 as a side dish or appetizer

4 medium-sized zucchini, about 1 1/2 pounds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
Sea salt, about 1 teaspoon or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup shaved pecorino cheese such as Pecorino Sardo or Pecorino Toscana

Trim ends of zucchini. Peel the zucchini with a vegetable peeler lengthwise in long ribbons, rotating to peel evenly, stopping when you see the seeds. Discard core. Place zucchini ribbons in a medium-sized bowl. Add extra-virgin olive oil, truffle oil, sea salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Arrange on salad plates or in bowls. Sprinkle with Pecorino shavings. Serve immediately.