Cheesy Vegetable Medley

Rural Open Air Tailgate Markets provide a nice change from the grocery stores. Helping out area farm is a great way to support these hard working farm families. The great thing is the produce is fresh picked and the selection endless. Find your road side vendor and reap the benefits by purchasing local. As I explore the available food sources here in Woodstock at the Your Farm Market store is where I can get fresh from the farmers field produce and cheese’s. I’m always on the lookout for tasty cheese and artisan condiments. Ever since the large corporate food giants took over most all the family run independent cheese makers I find that a lot of the cheeses taste very mainstream using sodium baths to cure and help along the process to promote fast aging. Gunn’s Hill Cheeses takes a hand’s on technique and knowledge that only a respectable cheese master would understand. A machine cannot duplicate the small batch personal senses and the human touch. At my Deli store I would sell lots of artisan cheeses from all over the globe and  some unpasteurized ripened cheeses from the Ontario, Quebec, B. C. cheese makers. Over the years I have been treated to some outstanding varieties. This one old cheddar from Bright’s in particular has caught my attention and another called Bella Vitano Sartori balsamic washed style of aged cheddar. This award winning cheese was cracking good and had a very delicate full cheddar palate. My wife also agreed that it pared very well with her Pinot Grigio and I found it was great with beer. The more I explore the area cheeses the more I realize all the good hand crafted food that is available here in Oxford County. At this point in my life I am always trying to add more fresh vegetables to our diets when making dinner. The many seasonal types of legumes are available farm fresh or organic at the grocers. Here is one of my favourite recipes. It is a simple way of getting your family to eat more vegetable fibre. The mixture of vegetables can be prepared using own your personal likes and availability. I grated some of the balsamic washed cheddar over the medley of veggies and it was most scrumptious. Just remember that when making this recipe the best cheese is the one you like the best!

Try feta, mozzarella or parmesan they all work well.

For this recipe you will need:

1 medium sized zucchini.

2 tasty plum tomatoes

½ a medium purple onion

2 cloves of grated garlic

4 white or brown mushrooms

1 bell pepper any colour

2 tbs of fresh olive oil.

1 tbs of dried basil and oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

1 cup of your favourite grated cheese.

In a large bowl cut the vegetables into bite size pieces. Quarter the mushrooms and deseed the pepper. Add the dried herbs and the salt and pepper to taste. Add the olive oil and mix and toss till well coated. Let rest for 15 minutes to absorb the flavours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large sauté pan place the vegetable mixture place over a stove top burner to high and sautéed the mixture for a few minutes, stirring tossing and mixing until it starts sizzling. Pull the pan off the burner and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top and place onto the middle rack in the preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes remove and let rest while plating the chosen entre like broiled chicken breast or a filet of salmon with rice pilaf or couscous. Spoon on a portion of the roasted cheesy vegetables and watch the family dig in with gusto.