Mixed Vegetable Cheese Bake

2

I love baking & it gives me a thrill whenever my bakes turn out great. Putting together all the coloured vegetables in a bake is one of the best ways to enjoy the goodness of fresh vegetables…
Ingredients :
·         ½ cup Carrots
·         ½ cup French Beans
·         ½ cup fresh Peas (or frozen peas)
·         ½ cup Cauliflower
For the White Sauce :
·         2 tbsps. Refined Flour (Maida)
·         2 cups Milk
·         1 tbsp. Butter
·         A pinch of Nutmeg pwd. (Jaiphal)
·         A pinch of Cardamom pwd. (Green Cardamom)
·         1/3 tsp. Sugar
·         ½ tsp. dried Oregano
·         ¼ tsp. Pepper pwd.
·         3 tbsps. grated Processed Cheddar Cheese
·         Salt to taste
For the Garnishing:
·         4 tbsps. dry Bread Crumbs
·         ½ Capsicum (sliced)
·         ½ Onion (sliced & flaked)
·         ¼ cup grated Processed Cheddar Cheese (or 2 slices cheese)
·         A tsp. each of Butter/Olive Oil
Method :
Wash & peel the carrots & quarter them vertically in uniform pieces. 
Wash & thread the french beans. Wash & separate cauliflower into florets. 
Blanch the vegetables in order of time taken for cooking with sugar i.e. carrots, french beans, cauliflower, peas. 
Drain the vegetables & reserve ¼ cup of the liquid. 
Refresh the blanched vegetables in cold water & drain. 
Chop the carrots & french beans finely & the cauliflower in tiny florets. Keep aside.
Preparation of the White Sauce :
Melt butter in a pan on low heat. 
Add the flour & mix with the butter. 
Stir carefully till the rawness of the flour disappears but do not allow the flour to change colour. 
Take the pan off the heat & keep stirring while gradually adding the milk to it. 
Make sure it is smooth & not lumpy. 
Again place the pan on the stove & cook on low heat till the sauce thickens. 
Take it off the heat & stir after adding pepper, 3 tbsps. grated cheese, dried oregano, nutmeg & cardamom pwd., salt to taste & the reserved veg stock making sure that the sauce is not too thin 
or watery. 
The sauce should be of pouring consistency. Keep aside.
Assembling the Bake :
Coat an oven proof glass dish with butter or a little olive oil. 
Place all mixed vegetables evenly in the baking dish & pour the prepared sauce evenly on the vegetables. Sprinkle bread crumbs, ¼ cup cheese, sliced onions & capsicum. 
Sprinkle some pepper pwd. & dot with butter or sprinkle olive oil. 
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C till it bubbles & the top turns a light golden brown about 20 mins.. 
Serve with toasted garlic bread or enjoy it plain with ketchup. 

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2 Comments

  1. I tried this recipe on Saturday and it turned out really yummy! Thanks for the nice and easy recipe 🙂

    Patricia