Platter of Vegetables
Piatto Grande di Verdure
Region: Italy
Category: Vegetables
Season: Summer
Difficulty: Labor Intensive

This preparation is one of those extravagant dishes that will make a vegetarian happy and please all the meat eaters too because it is rich in different tastes from the different vegetables as well as the different cooking methods used to achieve the results.  You are also trying to make the platter look visually appealing, which it will be as it is multicolored.   This is a dish I usually make after a trip to the farmers market.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 10 servings
Preparation Time: 2 hours

2 red bell peppers

2 yellow bell peppers

2 green bell peppers

2 pounds eggplant, preferably 4 purple-striped variety, cut into wedges

6 pattypan summer squash (about 3/4 pound), quartered

1 large onion, cut into eighths

Salt to taste

6 ounces green beans, trimmed

6 ounces yellow wax beans, trimmed

2 small fennel (about 3/4 pounds), trimmed of upper leaves

1 1/2 pounds broccoli

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cut into any size pieces

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Place the bell peppers and eggplant on one baking tray and the squash and onion on another baking tray. Drizzle some olive oil on the eggplant, squash, and onion and season them with a little salt. Bake until the bell pepper skins blister black and become wrinkly, 35 to 40 minutes, then remove and let cool. Remove the eggplant pieces once they become golden, about 45 minutes, and set aside. Remove the squash once they’ve become golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the onion once its edges turn black, 20 to 25 minutes. Once the bell peppers are cool remove their skin and seeds and rip into strips.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat, then cook the green and yellow beans until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove with a skimmer, cut in thirds, and set aside in a colander to drain. Let the water return to a boil, then cook the fennel until tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the fennel with a skimmer, quarter lengthwise, and set aside to drain. Add the broccoli to the water and cook until there is a little resistance when the stem is pierced by a skewer, about 6 minutes and no more. Quickly remove the broccoli and transfer to a strainer and place under cold running water to stop its cooking. Slice the broccoli lengthwise into several pieces. Set aside to drain. Make sure these three vegetables are not mixed together and remain separate as they drain and cool.

4. Preheat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 10 minutes.

5. Drizzle olive oil over the fennel and broccoli and season with salt. Cook the fennel pieces and broccoli pieces in 2 or 3 batches in the skillet until golden and blackened on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes in all. Remove the broccoli and fennel with a spatula and transfer to a large bowl.

6. Add the bell pepper strips, green and yellow beans, eggplant, onion, squash, and tomatoes to the bowl. Toss gently with your hands. In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, parsley, and thyme. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, season with basil, salt, and pepper, toss again and serve at room temperature.

Variation: 

Note: 

Posted: 01/03/2007