Olive Oil Marinated Roasted Vegetables with Garlic and Thyme

Summer vegetables are roasted then covered with olive oil and packed into jars with garlic and thyme.

Autumn is just starting to show her face around here. Even if we don’t have the tell tale signs of fall colors that East Coaster’s have, I can see the little changes as we creep into the new season. The days are getting shorter, the mornings cooler, but the afternoons are still pleasantly summery.

I have to admit, I get a little nostalgic at this time of year. Knowing I won’t being seeing those warm summery afternoons for much longer, or the vibrant colors of the last of the summer’s harvest makes me resent the arrival of the new season. I know soon I’ll be craving heartier, warm and comforting foods, and I’ll embrace that feeling when it comes. For now I want to enjoy the last that summertime has to offer and scoop up those beautiful jewel toned eggplants, tomatoes and zucchini that are in such abundance towards the end of summer.

The zucchini was especially slender and small, a delicate green; the eggplant deeply purple glossy beauties, and the tomatoes heavy and firm. It wasn’t long before I had gathered them all; my heart set on making something that would capture the best of the last of summer.

The ensuing olive oil marinated vegetables are the perfect illustration of how good eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes become even better when left to their own devices for a while in the oven. Blitzed in a hot oven to concentrate and sweeten their flavors, they emerge slumped and slightly shrunken, the tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini softening into one another, profuse with their juices. The roasted vegetables are then covered with olive oil and packed into jars with garlic and thyme. They keep well in the refrigerator for a week, and are convenient to have on hand to invigorate all manner of dishes.

Use sparingly as a condiment or generously as a main ingredient. I enjoy them in wraps, pasta or salads. The bonus of making these is the seasoned olive oil that is created as the vegetables marinate, so don’t forget to whisk it into dressings or toss it with your vegetables as well.

Now as for autumn, I’ll face it with open arms, just as soon as I finish my last jar.

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Olive Oil Marinated Roasted Vegetables with Garlic and Thyme

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Summer vegetables are roasted then covered with olive oil and packed into jars with garlic and thyme.

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Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 small eggplant, thinly sliced into rounds
• 4 medium sized tomatoes, quartered or sliced into rounds depending on size (or alternatively 1 basket cherry or grape-sized tomatoes, halved)
• 4 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil to roast and to cover

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Arrange the zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes on a large parchment lined baking sheet. Scatter the leaves from 2 thyme sprigs and garlic cloves over. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil, then sprinkle with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Roast for about 40-45 minutes or until tender, turning the vegetables over occasionally; until they shrink slightly but are still tender.
4. Layer the hot vegetables and remaining fresh sprigs of thyme, into into sterilized jars, filling them to the top. (You can use one large jar or a few smaller ones.)
5. Cover the vegetables completely with extra virgin olive oil and put the lids on tightly.
6. Put the jars aside until they're cool.
7. Refrigerate at least 48 hours to allow the flavors to develop.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 67Total Fat: 1gSodium: 2088mgCarbohydrates: 12gSugar: 9gProtein: 5g

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Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.