Winter is the perfect season to stir up colorful, delightful, heartwarming recipes that are not only tasty but nutritious too. Baked vegetables is one such recipe that can be made in many ways. The best part of this preparation is the liberty of technique and ingredients it allows. You can add, subtract or change any of the vegetables to suit your liking. The best bit is, if you wish, you can sauté the vegetables in olive oil instead of butter.

Baked Vegetables in White Sauce:

Servings: 4

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients: 

• Broccoli (medium) – 1
• Cauliflower (medium) – 1
• Potatoes (medium) – 1 or 2
• Red Capsicum (medium) – quarter
• Green Capsicum (medium) – quarter
• Yellow Capsicum (medium) – quarter
• Mushrooms (button) – 5 to 6
• Carrot (medium) – half
• Mozzarella Cheese – 4 tbsp
• Butter – 4 tbsp
• All Purpose Flour (Maida) – 1 cup
• Milk – 2 to 2.5 cup
• Salt – for seasoning
• Black pepper – for garnish
• Oregano (optional) – for garnish
• Red chili flakes (optional) – for garnish

Method: 

• Pre-heat oven at 180 degree centigrade. Butter the baking dish (preferably a shallow dish) and set aside.
• Wash all vegetables thoroughly and dice them in shape and size to your liking. 
• In a glass bowl half full with water microwave the potato and cauliflower florets for 3 to 5 minutes, till they are half cooked through. You can also boil them in a pressure cooker if you want, but don’t let them cook fully as they have to bake as well.
• In a thick bottomed pan heat half of the butter and gently sauté the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes.

  

• Now add salt to taste, oregano and chili flakes ( avoid chili flakes if preparing for kids) and set them aside.
• Warm milk in a pan. Do not boil it. Set aside.
• In a medium-sized saucepan with high sides heat the remaining butter. When butter melts and begins frothing, add maida in increments while stirring continuously with a whisk. Cook for around a minute or two. While whisking, slowly pour the warm milk a little at a time to form a smooth mixture.
• Continue whisking for around 6 to 8 minutes till the mixture begins to bubble and has no lumps.
• Remove pan from the heat once mixture becomes thick. It should coat the back of your spoon.
• Strain it through a thick sieve to obtain a thick and smooth white sauce.
• Gently add the sauteed vegetables to the greased baking dish in increments alternating with evenly poured white sauce.
• Spread the mozzarella cheese evenly on top and bake till the cheese layer turns golden brown. It usually takes 20 to 25 minutes to bake through.

  

• Serve hot and garnish with freshly cracked black pepper. It is optional and can be avoided when serving kids.

For more recipes from my kitchen, visit my food corner.