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Fresh Cooked Vegetables with a Saffron Aioli
By Bob Skolnick Photography by Marty Snortum Studio
This dish can be made at any time of the year using the fresh vegetables that are in season. It is especially flavorful using the fall harvest vegetables. Cooking fresh vegetables requires dedication to cooking them to optimize both their flavor and nutritional content.
Some vegetables lend themselves to steaming, such as fresh broccoli or asparagus, but all vegetables handle slow roasting. Roasting gives most vegetables a richer, sweeter flavor. I feel it is essential to enjoy the taste of cooked fresh vegetables to cook them al dente. In this regard I like to cook each vegetable separated in the roast pan so you can remove them as they become done. Each vegetable has different densities and water content and will finish at different cooking times.
 FRESH VEGETABLE MEDLEY
Serves 4
1 acorn squash cut in half (remove seeds & roast)
2 whole fresh beets (boiled & peel after cooking)
2 whole fresh rutabagas (peel, coat w/ oil & roast)
12 baby new potatoes (coat with olive oil & roast)
4 whole carrots (peel, coat with oil and roast)
12 pearl onions (peel, coat with oil and roast)
12 sweet peppers (coat with oil and roast)
12 broccoli florets (steam over vegetable stock)
12 cherry tomatoes (coat with oil and roast)
1. Season each vegetable with salt and white pepper and cook the vegetables as recommended in the ingredient list, testing for doneness periodically.
2. As each vegetable is cooked al dente remove it from the roasting or steaming pot and set aside in a warm place.
3. Once all vegetables are cooked, dice the beets and the rutabagas and slice the carrots.
4. The most attractive way to serve the meal is family-style so each guest may take what they want. Place a cooked half acorn squash in the center of your serving platter and fill with the diced fresh beets. Arrange the other cooked vegetables around the accord squash.
5. Take the other acorn squash half and fill it with the saffron aioli and serve allowing the guests to spoon the aioli over their vegetables.
This dish may be prepared in advance, chilled and served cold. If you wish to serve this hot, which I prefer, then you must cook the vegetables and serve them as soon as they all have completed cooking.
 SAFFRON AIOLI
Makes 1 1/2 pints
6 bulbs roasted garlic
1 pint vegetable stock (found in most markets)
2 oz Wondra flour
1 tbsp saffron
2 tsp yogurt - non-fat
2 tsp sour cream
1. Trim the tops off of six bulbs of garlic and coat with olive oil and place in a medium oven and cook until the garlic is soft
Remove from the heat and let the garlic cool to slightly warm.
2. Heat the vegetable stock to a low boil and thicken to the consistency of salad dressing. Add the saffron strands and season with white pepper to taste. Remove the vegetable-saffron mixture from the heat and allow to cool.
3. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the cooked bulbs into a blender and puree. Gradually add the cooled thickened saffron-vegetable stock to the garlic mixture and when fully incorporated transfer the mixture to a bowl.
4. Add the yogurt and sour cream and blend well. You can serve chilled or at room temperature. Adding a little fresh chive
before service adds color and flavor.
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