Le Creuset Vegetable Casserole with Crispy Topping

 

Here’s the recipe again (first posted on this weeks Menu Planner Monday)

Le Creuset Piece:  Buffet Casseroles  Preparation Time:  20 minutes Main Ingredient:  Vegetables–All  Cooking Time:  1 1/2 hours Course:  Side Dish  Servings:  6 to 8 as a side
INGREDIENTS
4 tbs. olive oil 1 large red onion, roughly chopped 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½” pieces 1 lb. eggplant, cut into ½” pieces 4 celery stalks, cut into ¼” slices 4 zucchini, cut into ½” slices 1 lb. canned crushed tomatoes with their juice 2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar 1 tbs. sugar 2 cups fresh white bread crumbs 1 cup finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese Salt and pepper (I also added a clove of fresh garlic, crushed)
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in the buffet casserole over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the onion and butternut squash and fry gently until they are lightly colored. 2. Add the eggplant, celery, and zucchini and continue frying, turing the vegetables occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, basil, parsley, vinegar, and sugar with 1 cup of water and plenty of seasoning. Cover and simmer slowly for 1 hr 15 minutes to 1 and a half hours until the vegetables are tender; the squash will take the longest to soften 3. When the vegetables are tender, remove the buffet casserole from the heat. Mix together the bread crumbs and cheese with plenty of seasoning and scatter this evenly over the vegetables. Put immediately under a hot broiler to crsip and brown the top. Serve straight from the buffet casserole.

It was very tasty. I love to try vegetarian dishes, and this was a very good one.