Add 3 to 4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, finely chopped, to the dressing.This mélange of crisp and colorful vegetables, pronounced jar-din-YAIR-ah, always includes cauliflower and it’s part of many antipasti tables. But usually it comes from a market. Once you see how easy it is to make, you’ll always include some in your planning.
Makes 8 to 10 servings as part of an antipasti table or 4 to 6 servings as a side dish | Prep time: 15 minutes | Minimum cook time: 11/2 hours in a medium slow cooker
2 carrots, thickly sliced
1/2 head cauliflower, broken into florets
2 broccoli crowns, broken into florets
1/4 pound mixed brine-cured olives
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1. Place a steamer basket in the slow cooker, and layer the vegetables with the carrots on the bottom, then the cauliflower and broccoli. Add 1/2 cup water to the slow cooker, and cook vegetables on Low for 3 to 5 hours or on High for 11/2 to 2 hours, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Plunge vegetables into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking action and set the color. Then drain, and place them in a mixing bowl with olives.
2. Combine lemon juice, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, and shake well. Add olive oil, and shake well again.
3. Toss dressing with vegetables, and allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes before serving, tossing vegetables occasionally. Serve at room temperature.
Note: The vegetables and dressing can both be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Allow both to reach room temperature before tossing and serving.
Variations:
Add 3 to 4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, finely chopped, to the dressing.
Substitute baby artichokes, halved and rubbed with lemon juice to prevent discoloration, for the broccoli.