Spring has past
Summer has gone
Winter is here
And the song that I meant to sing
Is still unsung
I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument .
Rabindranath Tagore
Its true that winter is breathtakingly beautiful. The warmth of cozy blanket, a cup of hot coffee or delicious hot chocolate and an interesting book couldn’t be enjoyable more than this season.
And you can easily get lots of fresh vegetables with plenty of nutrients and flavour in winter.
Vegetable Au Gratin or baked vegetable is a French dish. Traditionally vegetables mixed with white sauce, topped with breadcrumbs and generous amount of cheese, baked till the cheese melts and served with crisp breads.
You can use all the winter vegetables like cauliflower, peas, carrots, French beans, bell peppers, baby corn, capsicum or any vegetables of your choice.
And these winter vegetables supplies great nutrients to our body that are essential in many ways.
This post is going to be a part of #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is winter vegetables.
Traditionally boiled vegetables are used in it but I have sauteed the vegetables in oil. And believe me its taste better.
You will love the cheesy taste and aroma. You can increase or decrease the amount of cheese. If you don’t want to use cheese just omit it and sprinkle little oil or butter over the breadcrumbs on the top.
Recipe
For white sauce
Butter – 2 tablespoon
All purpose flour/maida – 2 tablespoon
Milk – 1 & 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder – 1 teaspoon
Tomato sauce – 1 tablespoon
Cheese – 1/4 cup
Vegetable
Cauliflower – 1 medium
carrot – 1 large
Green peas – 1 cup
French beans – 10 – 12
Scallion – 2 finely chopped
Green chilli – 1 finely chopped, optional
Potato – 1 peeled
Black pepper powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Garlic – 3 cloves grated or crushed
Oil or butter – 1 tablespoon
For topping
Breadcrumbs – 1/2 cup
Grated cheese – 1/2 cup
For garnishing
Tomato – 1 small sliced
Capsicum – 1/2 sliced
Method
Heat 2 tablespoon butter in a heavy bottom pan on low flame. When butter melts add the all purpose flour/maida. Stir continuously on low flame. Colour shouldn’t be changed. Saute for 1 minute.
Remove from flame and add milk. Mix well and return to fire again. Cook till the sauce becomes thick. Stir continuously to avoid lumps. Add salt, cheese, black pepper and tomato sauce. Mix well and remove from heat. Keep the sauce aside.
Wash and chop all the vegetables in small pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter in a pan. Add garlic and fry till it becomes light brown. Now add the chopped scallion. Saute for few seconds and then add all the vegetables, salt and black pepper powder. Mix well and cover the pan. Cook on low flame till the vegetables become tender. Keep stirring and cook on high flame till the vegetables dried up completely.
Let it cool and mix with white sauce. Taste and adjust the salt if require.
Pour the mixture in a borosil or any oven proof dish. Spread breadcrumbs over it. Sprinkle grated cheese. Garnish with slices of capsicum and tomato.
Bake in a preheated oven at 250° for 30 – 40 minutes. Or until the cheese melts and becomes light brown.
Every oven takes different time so check the colour after 25 – 30 minutes. Mine is little undone I have baked it again for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve hot as a side dish. Enjoy the cheesy taste.
