Mediterranean Vegetable Gratin Food

MEDITERRANEAN LAYERED BAKE

Steps:

• Add the sliced potatoes to a large saucepan with water and parboil (they should still be firm in the centre, but slightly softened on outside). Drain and set aside.
• Add the olive oil to a frying pan over a medium high heat, once hot, add the onion and fry for a couple of minutes until softened
• Add the peppers and garlic and fry for a further couple of minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste (puree), stock, balsamic vinegar, oregano, fresh basil and crushed fennel seeds.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, and allow to gently bubble for 15-20 minutes until sauce reduces down and thickens (it's important to let the sauce reduce down and thicken otherwise it will be too watery).
• Taste sauce and season as needed with salt and black pepper.
• Set aside.
• Wipe the frying pan clean, spray with olive oil spray and place over medium heat, add the courgette and aubergine in batches until lightly browned on all sides and softened, seasoning with a little salt and black pepper as you do.
• Then you can begin the layering.
• Add half the tomato sauce to the bottom of the baking tray.
• Then add half the courgette and half the aubergine.
• Add half the potato slices in a then layer, slightly overlapping each other as you do.
• Then add the remaining tomato sauce, another layer of aubergine and courgette and then the final layer of potatoes.
• Preheat oven to 200c/fan 180c/400f or gas mark 6
• Add the milk to a saucepan, stir the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoon of water to make a slurry, add this into the milk, slowly heating until it starts to thicken. As it starts to thicken, stir in 30g of the parmesan until melted into the sauce.
• Pour the sauce over the potatoes, spreading out so it covers evenly with a spatula
• Top with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella.
• Cover with foil (it's important you use a deep enough tray so that the cheese doesn't touch the foil when covered)
• Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, remove foil and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes until the top is lovely and golden.
• Sprinkle with some fresh chopped parsley
• Serve and enjoy!!

VEGETABLE GRATIN

Steps:

• In a large saute pan set over medium heat, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute until translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to give off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Add the sugar and cook until there is almost no liquid left, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Lay the eggplant and zucchini out on a flat surface and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
• In another large saute pan set over medium high heat, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the eggplant in 1 layer and cook just until golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. You might need to do this in batches. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Blot the top with additional paper towels.
• In the same pan, add more olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the zucchini in 1 layer and saute until just browned on each side, about 1 minute per side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
• In a shallow roasting pan or baking dish, spread half of the tomato sauce evenly over the bottom. Begin layering the eggplant and zucchini along the outside of the baking dish so they are overlapping slightly. Continue until the pan is full and the eggplant and zucchini is used. Cover the top with the remaining tomato sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top, covering completely.
• Place the baking dish inside a large baking dish. Pour hot water into the larger baking dish about half way up the sides to make a water bath. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN MIXED VEGETABLE GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
• Wash all of the vegetables, drain and dry.
• Slice the tomatoes into rounds 1/4-inch thick. Cut the potatoes, leaving the skin on, into equally sized rounds. Peel the onion, leaving whole, cut into thin round slices.
• Cut the pepper in half, remove and discard the seeds and ribs, and cut into a thin julienne.
• Leave the skin on the eggplant and cut into thin round slices.
• Trim the top of the fennel bulb and slice the fennel on a vegetable slicer into thin slices beginning at the base and continuing up to the top.
• Using a large ceramic vegetable gratin dish, brush the bottom of the dish with some of the olive oil. Lay the sliced tomatoes on the bottom of the dish in single layer overlapping where necessary. Season this and each succeeding layer of vegetables with salt and pepper as you go to ensure balanced flavors.
• Lay the potatoes on top of the tomatoes, season and continue with a layer of onion.
• Combine the peppers and lay the peppers over the onion layer. Next add a layer of eggplant and finally a layer of thinly sliced fennel remembering to carefully season each vegetable layer.
• Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the top layer of vegetables and place the dish into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes.
• While the gratin is baking, combine the remaining olive oil with the garlic, mint, bread crumbs, cheese and season with a fresh grind of black pepper. After the vegetables have cooked for 45 minutes, remove from the oven, sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top and return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the top browns to a golden color.

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE PLATTER

Steps:

• Favoring one side of a small wooden board, spoon and swirl the hummus directly on the board. Do the same with the roasted pepper hummus, favoring the other side of the board. Fill in the gaps with the peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, pita and crackers. Drizzle the vegetables and hummus with the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

MEDITERRANEAN GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Make couscous as directed on box for version without olive oil.
• Meanwhile, spray 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish or gratin dish with cooking spray. In 12-inch skillet, place spinach and 2 tablespoons water. Cover; cook over medium heat 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted.
• Stir in cooked couscous, roasted red peppers, lemon peel, salt, beans and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Spread mixture in baking dish.
• In small bowl, mix remaining cheese, walnuts and oil. Sprinkle over couscous mixture.
• Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.

MEDITERRANEAN FISH GRATINS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, wide non-stick saucepan or sauté pan and gently fry the onion, fennel, garlic and coriander seeds for 15 mins, stirring regularly until the vegetables are softened and lightly coloured. Pour the wine into the pan and add the tomatoes, tomato purée, saffron and bay leaf. Season and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until thick.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Stir the lemon juice and most of the parsley into the tomato mixture, pop the raw fish pieces and prawns on top and stir well. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer gently over a medium heat for 4-5 mins or until the fish is almost cooked. Stir a couple of times as the fish cooks, taking care not to let it break up.
• Ladle the hot tomato and fish mixture into 6 individual pie dishes - they will each need to hold around 350ml. Mix the cheese, breadcrumbs, remaining parsley and a little ground black pepper together and sprinkle over the top. Bake on a baking tray for 20 mins or until the pies are golden brown and bubbling. Serve with green salad, if you like.