Did you know, Jo is a chef too?! Amazing, I know, haha.
People often ask me for food techniques or how to conjure easy meals that work well together and that create exquisite dishes. It’s always a bonus too, when the concepts are still considered to be healthy…
Well, one food concoction I enjoy making is my grilled veggie medley. Apparently, it is like a “medley in your mouth”, I make it different all the time, so, kind of tough to write you a recipe. So, it’s kind of an unconventional recipe.
Don’t like veggies? That’s okay, there are those I have cooked for, who can’t stand vegetables… Some of them have actually loved my veggie medley. They’ve even gone back for seconds!
You mean, there’s hope?! Yes, you too can have your family and friends eat veggies after all! :p
Just think of it as another great way to receive your daily vitamin intake!
I love veggies, I love garlic, and I love spices, so, I’m a bit biased. You can make it as fancy or as basic as you like! Try it out.
First, take some olive oil and tons of fresh garlic cloves (you could add butter too, if you’d like)… add some basic spices (pepper, basil, rosemary… sea salt if you like, even hot sauce). Throw in some chunks of onion… and if you like mushrooms… now would be the time to toss them in, any kind… live it up, try something different, maybe even a few types. If you want potato, I recommend adding them at this stage.
You could even add some white wine into the mix, if you enjoy that style of cooking, beer works too, if not, use water or a bit of lemon juice. You will need to add a splash of something though, for best results.
Toss it all into a roasting pan that’s not too deep, yet still deep enough to accommodate all them veggies!
Preheat your oven to around 375. Place your pan in the oven with the first stage of legumes and such. Be sure to keep it covered until you reach the carrot stage.
This stage of veggies should bake for a good 30 minutes or so… check them, give them a stir. Add some extra spices, if you are up for the challenge? Once your garlic is roasting nicely and those ‘shrooms are a sizzlin, you can add some peppers… red, green, orange, yellow, hungarian, chilean… whatever suits your fancy.
Cook all this for around 10-15 minutes, then, in the same pan, add some carrots, yams, or sweet potato. You’ll want to make sure the mushrooms, garlic, and onions are all fully cooked and beautifully roasted first.
After the carrots have softened up (if selected), it would be a good time for any final stage or faster cooking produce ie: zucchini, spinach, or tomatoes. At this stage, you may want to add more olive oil, maybe even a little feta cheese (or any other cheese, for that matter).
If you are feeling inspired and want to fancy it up with a bit of sauce, you could throw in some soy, sweet chili, or some kind of teriyaki, maybe a hot sauce of sort (this I would not recommend doing if you chose to add wine- mind you, it could be interesting with the teriyaki) Please also note, should you decide to add a thicker sauce such as a teriyaki, you will need to add some water, to reduce the risk of sauce burnage. Scared?? Haha, don’t brave it if you don’t want to. This is your masterpiece, meant to be created for your tastebuds.
How’s it looking?? Give it a good mixing, don’t be shy. You are the chef! Back in the oven she goes… Maybe 10-15 more minutes, or until this concoction has reached your desired consistency.
Generally, the cooking time of this veggie medley, takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour… depending on how roasted the garlic gets in the beginning. There’s nothing better than mushrooms and garlic melting in my mouth… what can I say, my father is a French Chef.
Not a fan of mushrooms?? No problem, the onions will provide you with a similar effect and there are plenty enough varieties of substance in your pan already.
It really is up to you, you can have a cooking time as little as 35 minutes, if you choose. Not recommended if you’re cooking potatoes and other thicker or starchier choices. With carrots and/or potatoes, you should give yourself at least 45 minutes cooking time…
These veggies work very well with most meats, rice and seafood dishes!
It’s not always what you cook, but how you cook it that reveals the masterpiece!!!
Hope your results have “panned” out well for you and that your experience has left you feeling satisfied.
Written by: Jo Martinez.
What Jo Thinks 