When tomatoes, zucchini and potatoes are at their peak in summer, I like to prepare this simple, colorful and tasty dish for brunch or for dinner. Rave reviews were received when I served the medley with scrambled eggs and breakfast meats for a unique twist on a Sunday brunch. It is also delicious served with broiled Oriental flank steak; grilled chicken, fish or pork complement the vegetables as well. Whenever or however you to decide to serve this dish, slices of crusty bread to use for soaking the delicious broth round out the meal.
BAKED SUMMER VEGETABLES
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 small/medium potatoes, sliced thin
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
3 to 4 tomatoes, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Lay sliced potatoes along entire bottomof baking dish, overlapping the slices by half. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the potatoes with the zucchini slices overlapping by half. Drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic. Cover the zucchini with the tomatoes, drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
Top vegetables with parsley. Serves 10.
Nutritional analysis: 138 calories, 6 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mgs cholesterol, 245 mgs sodium, 21 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams dietary fiber, 2 grams sugar, 2 grams protein
BROILED ORIENTAL FLANK STEAK
1 1/4 pound lean flank steak
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoons fresh gingerroot, minced
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
In a baking dish to accommodate the steak, combine the sherry, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, gingerroot, sesame oil and garlic. Place the steak in the marinade, turning to coat; marinate for 8 hours. Turn steak occasionally to marinate evenly. Set oven temperature to broil or prepare grill. Cook steak for several minutes on each side (depending on thickness) until desired doneness. Allow steak to cool for 5 minutes before slicing thinly on the diagonal. Serves 4.
Nutritional analysis: 319 calories, 15 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 68 mgs cholesterol, 623 mgs sodium, 15 grams carbohydrate, 13 grams sugars, 31 grams protein.
Kerry Dunnington, food columnist and author of “This Book Cooks,” is passionate about food that reflects the season, nutrition, color, balance, texture and variety.Catch her column biweekly in Healthy Life. She can be reached at [email protected].
