Cheese – topped buttered vegetables

Over two years ago, I posted a recipe for a side vegetable dish that accompanied fried whole tilapia. Cauliflower florets, finger chili and garlic were lightly cooked in olive oil, sprinkled with cheese then baked just until the cheese melted. Last night, I did another version of the same side dish — more vegetables and butter instead of olive oil. And, yes, I served it with fried tilapia too.

But before I go on to the recipe, let me tell you about the oval baking dishes that you see in the photo. There are actually four of them and the price was P400.00. Not P400.00 per baking dish but P400.00 for all four of them. They’re glazed, ovenproof and I just love the design. When I saw them, I knew they’d be perfect for single-serve baked pasta dishes.

Where did I get the baking dishes? From Dapitan. Not Rizal’s Dapitan but Dapitan Street in Quezon City which has become a mecca for bargain hunters. If you want to see what else we bought, click here. Now, the recipe.  

You will need:

broccoli
cauliflower
carrot
your favorite variety of mushrooms
butter
salt
pepper
grated cheese

How much of each ingredient you will need depends on how many people you are feeding. Since this is a side dish, I suggest a cup of vegetables, and one tablespoonful each of butter and grated cheese for each person. The vegetables don’t have to be in equal amounts. If you like cauliflower more than broccoli for instance, or vice versa, use more of what you like best and less of what you like least. You can use other vegetables but I suggest that you stay with ones that do not contain too much water so that they don’t get soggy and soupy during baking.

Preheat the oven to 375^oF.

Cut the vegetables, including the mushrooms, into bite-size pieces. Heat the butter in a frying pan, add the vegetables and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. You want them to retain their crispness so don’t overcook them. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Transfer the cooked vegetables to a shallow baking dish (or dishes), sprinkle with grated cheese and pop in the preheated oven for about two minutes or just until the cheese melts. Serve at once with fried or grilled fish, chicken or meat.