Mixed Vegetable Cheese Bake

I love baking & it gives me a thrill whenever my bakes turn out great. Putting together all the coloured vegetables in a bake is one of the best ways to enjoy the goodness of fresh vegetables…

Ingredients :

· ½ cup Carrots

· ½ cup French Beans

· ½ cup fresh Peas (or frozen peas)

· ½ cup Cauliflower

For the White Sauce :

· 2 tbsps. Refined Flour (Maida)

· 2 cups Milk

· 1 tbsp. Butter

· A pinch of Nutmeg pwd. (Jaiphal)

· A pinch of Cardamom pwd. (Green Cardamom)

· 1/3 tsp. Sugar

· ½ tsp. dried Oregano

· ¼ tsp. Pepper pwd.

· 3 tbsps. grated Processed Cheddar Cheese

· Salt to taste

For the Garnishing:

· 4 tbsps. dry Bread Crumbs

· ½ Capsicum (sliced)

· ½ Onion (sliced & flaked)

· ¼ cup grated Processed Cheddar Cheese (or 2 slices cheese)

· A tsp. each of Butter/Olive Oil

Method :

Wash & peel the carrots & quarter them vertically in uniform pieces.

Wash & thread the french beans. Wash & separate cauliflower into florets.

Blanch the vegetables in order of time taken for cooking with sugar i.e. carrots, french beans, cauliflower, peas.

Drain the vegetables & reserve ¼ cup of the liquid.

Refresh the blanched vegetables in cold water & drain.

Chop the carrots & french beans finely & the cauliflower in tiny florets. Keep aside.

Preparation of the White Sauce :

Melt butter in a pan on low heat.

Add the flour & mix with the butter.

Stir carefully till the rawness of the flour disappears but do not allow the flour to change colour.

Take the pan off the heat & keep stirring while gradually adding the milk to it.

Make sure it is smooth & not lumpy.

Again place the pan on the stove & cook on low heat till the sauce thickens.

Take it off the heat & stir after adding pepper, 3 tbsps. grated cheese, dried oregano, nutmeg & cardamom pwd., salt to taste & the reserved veg stock making sure that the sauce is not too thin

or watery.

The sauce should be of pouring consistency. Keep aside.

Assembling the Bake :

Coat an oven proof glass dish with butter or a little olive oil.

Place all mixed vegetables evenly in the baking dish & pour the prepared sauce evenly on the vegetables. Sprinkle bread crumbs, ¼ cup cheese, sliced onions & capsicum.

Sprinkle some pepper pwd. & dot with butter or sprinkle olive oil.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C till it bubbles & the top turns a light golden brown about 20 mins..

Serve with toasted garlic bread or enjoy it plain with ketchup.