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Roasted and Sautéed Healthy Summer Vegetables

Three easy roasted and sautéed veggies for summer fun
Print Recipe
Servings: 4
Course: antipasto, Appetizer, cheese board, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sautéed Fava Beans
  • 1 lb fava beans in the pod (about 15 fresh beans)
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. capers
  • 1/2 lemon
Roasted Eggplant in Marinara
  • 1 large globe eggplant, 1/2 inch slices
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 - 3 tbsp. salt
  • 2 cups marinara or pasta sauce
Roasted Fennel and Fresh Herb Drizzle
  • 2 large fennel bulbs, quarted
  • ⅓ cup Assorted fresh herbs - marjoram, oregano, fennel leaves, parsley, If you purchase fennel with stalks and leaves still attached, include some of the fennel leaves in the herb blend.
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
 

Sautéed Fava Beans
  1. Remove fava beans from pods. If the fava beans are fresh and early in the season, leave on the skin surrounding the bean. If it is later in the season, the skin around the bean might be a bit tough, so remove the skin, too. Rinse beans with cold water and set aside.
  2. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil on low and add onion and garlic. Heat until fragrant and a bit caramelized, about 10 minutes on very low heat.
    Add capers and stir for 1 minute. Add the fava beans and 1/2 cup water. Cover the pan and simmer for 6-8 minutes until beans are soft and fragrant.
  3. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Roasted Eggplant in Marinara
  1. Preheat oven to 400 ℉. Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Sprinkle each slice with salt and lay vertically in a colinder. Leave for 30 minutes to let some moisture release from the eggplant. (most of the salt will wash off during the process.)
  2. Coat the bottom of a cookie sheet or large baking pan with half of the olive oil. Lay eggplant slices down in pan and then add more olive oil to the top side. Use a brush or the back of a spoon to spread the olive oil evenly over the eggplant.
  3. Place in the oven. Cook 10 minutes, then turn the eggplant slices over. Cook for an additional 10 minutes on the other side, or until eggplant slices are tender.
    Serve with a dollop of fresh marinara sauce.
Roasted Fennel and Fresh Herb Drizzle
  1. Preheat oven to 400 ℉.
    Prepare the Herb Drizzle: Chop fresh herbs and add to a small bowl with balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Set aside.
    Wash each fennel bulb and cut off stalks and leaves if present. (Save the stalks- they can be used to make a nice veggie broth.)
    Cut each bulb vertically into wedges, leaving the core intact. This will prevent the layers of the fennel bulb to separate while roasting.
  2. Lay bulb wedge on a cookie sheet or large roasting pan. Spread with olive oil, and add salt and pepper.
  3. Roast for 15 minutes. Then turn the bulb wedges over and roast for another 15 minutes until just soft.
    Place bulbs on a serving platter and coat with Fresh Herb Drizzle. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you choose to, you can prepare all three of these dishes at the same time. The fava beans can be simmering while the eggplant and fennel roast in the oven.
Enjoy! Bon appetito!