Crescenza Stack Food

VEGETABLE STACKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚. Brush a 24-cup mini-muffin pan (preferably nonstick) with olive oil. Toss the potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, olive oil, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
• Place a potato slice in each muffin cup (trim if needed). Top with an eggplant slice, then a tomato slice. Cover the pan with foil and bake until the vegetables are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, sprinkle with the parmesan and bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 more minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from the pan. Top with chopped parsley.

BONUS RECIPE: GINORMOUS CABBAGE-WRAPPED BURGER STACK

Steps:

• Serving suggestion: dill pickle spears
• Place the head of cabbage in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for about 4 minutes, until the outer leaves begin to loosen.
• Once cool enough to handle, remove the cabbage from the bowl. Gently remove 2 whole outer leaves from the cabbage, and place them back in the bowl. (Reserve the rest of the cabbage for another use.)
• Add 2 tablespoons of water to the bowl with the cabbage leaves. Cover and microwave for about 2 minutes, until leaves are very soft.
• Meanwhile, spray a skillet with nonstick spray and bring to medium heat on the stove. Add the burger patty and onion slice and cook for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through.
• Top one cabbage leaf with the burger patty, followed by a tomato slice, the onion, and the remaining tomato slice. If you like, top with ketchup and mustard. Gently top with the other leaf. Serve with pickles, if you want, and chew!

CRESCENZA STACK

Steps:

• Scrub the potatoes well, pat dry and then lightly coat with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roast potatoes in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until just cooked through. Cool and quarter lengthwise.
• Remove stem and scrape black gills from the portobellos. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, pan grill or roast until just cooked through. Cool and slice each mushroom into 12 thick slices.
• To construct a stack lightly oil a baking sheet and arrange 4 quarters of potato interspersed with 3 slices of mushroom side by side in the same direction. Top with a half ounce or so of cheese and then arrange another layer at right angles to the first. Finish with a top layer of potatoes and a dollop of cheese. Construct 3 more stacks in the same manner.
• When ready to serve, place baking sheet in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes to heat vegetables through and barely melt the cheese. While vegetables are heating toss the greens with vinaigrette. Place a stack on a heated plate and top with a quarter of the dressed greens. Scatter the diced peppers around and drizzle the plate with the basil oil. Serve immediately.
• Whisk all ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Store covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.