Summer Vegetable Saute
This everything-in-one-pan dish can be the basis of several delicious meals, particularly if you season it sparingly, allowing you to take it in other directions as fits the dish. It’s also a great way to clean out your refrigerator drawer.
Preparation
This recipe includes (almost) all the produce that was in my fridge, so don’t worry too much about omissions or different additions.
Ingredients:
1 large or 2 smaller eggplant
1 lb. (ish) summer squash (I had patty pans)
1 tropea onion (any onion is fine)
2-4 T. olive oil
1 share mushrooms
1 pint sungolds (or one share slicers or heirlooms)
Salt and Pepper
Cumin, garlic chili paste, sriracha (or your favorite spices) to taste
Fresh Basil and or cilantro
Slice up your eggplant, squash and onion into medium-sized rounds.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add your oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and let them begin to brown for a few minutes. Turn them over and add the squash and eggplant. Be careful if your veggies are wet so the hot oil doesn’t pop too much–use a screen if you’ve got one!
Cook about four or five minutes, then toss and turn occasionally, allowing them all to brown a bit as they soften.
If you overcrowd your pan, like I always do, it will take a bit longer to get everything browned, so be patient. Meanwhile, prep your mushrooms and tomatoes.
Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and salt and pepper to the pan and cook through.
Now you have a huge pan of delicious sauteed veggies that you can season up and eat as is, put on a grilled cheese sandwich, or toss with pasta. You could also add some balsamic vinegar and olive oil and marinate it in the fridge overnight for a delicious tapenade.
I made this in the morning on a Saturday, because I was fantasizing about Shakshuka, so I immediately put a couple servings in a smaller skillet, seasoned it up, cracked a couple eggs over the top and put a lid on it. Here’s the skinny on Shakshuka.