Vegetables tend to be a big part of most meals at my house. Whether a main dish salad is where it's at or a stir-fry brimming with the season's finest is on the menu, we love our veggies. But not everyone shares our love and some even avoid them if they can. If you have a finicky eater, give this dish packed with lots of flavors and a presentation not unlike some of your favorite chicken take out from the corner Chinese restaurant a try.
As is often the case, this is a tweakable dish. I like the combination of veggies in this version because they have a texture I really adore. Have different favorites? Choose other veggies. Have other veggies on hand? Use those. This is a recipe that really is about the sauce.
One cooked, the sauce in this dish gives the tender veggies an almost candied appearance, but the layers of flavor are far more complex and fun. I love making it and serving it alongside chicken, pork, or seafood cooked in an Asian-inspired manner. I'd tell you how to use the leftovers, but I've literally never had any!
Big Flavors Mixed Veggies
- ½ tsp. coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced into pieces
- 1 thin eggplant, halved and sliced into pieces
- 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
- 1 T. cooking fat - I used sesame oil
- 1 T. white miso paste
- 1-2 tsp. sriracha sauce
- 1-2 tsp. honey
- 1-2 tsp. cider vinegar
Toss the salt and pepper with the zucchini, eggplant, and onion. Allow the mixture to rest while you heat the cooking fat and mix the sauce.
Heat the cooking fat of your choice in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. While the fat is heating, mix the sauce.
Combine the remaining ingredients (miso paste through cider vinegar) to form a thick sauce. Set aside.
Add the seasoned vegetables to the hot skillet and sauté until crisp-tender. Add the sauce and continue cooking until the vegetables are fairly soft and the sauce has caramelized and formed an almost savory candy coating over the veggies. Serve hot.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 25 minutes