Vegetable Tian
Tian is a tall, conical earthenware cooking vessel used in the Alpes-Maritimes area of France. A modern tian can come lidded or not and sometimes has a looped handle on one side. The vessel is used to cook a traditional braised vegetable stew also called tian. The unglazed vessels, filled with root and winter vegetables along with wine or rinds of cheese, were placed in the hot ashes of a fire and left to stew all day in gentle heat, somewhat like a Dutch oven. The looped handle was left sticking out of the ashes for easy removal once the dish was done. Today, the modern version of vegetable tian is not a stew, but a freeform composite of roasted vegetables baked in a shallow dish with cheese to form a casserole.
Saving for myself for future use) Accidentally seen in "Barefoot Contessa" a few days ago. Beautiful summery dish so similar to ratatouille, I had no chance of NOT trying to find the recipe. Imagined making it in the countryside with freshly picked vegetables from our garden. Ina Garten insists it couldn't be easier.
not my photo, by culture-connoisseur.blogspot.com
Recipe courtesy Ina Garten:
INGREDIENTS
Good olive oil
2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled
3/4 pound zucchini
1 1/4 pounds medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.
Saving for myself for future use) Accidentally seen in "Barefoot Contessa" a few days ago. Beautiful summery dish so similar to ratatouille, I had no chance of NOT trying to find the recipe. Imagined making it in the countryside with freshly picked vegetables from our garden. Ina Garten insists it couldn't be easier.
not my photo, by culture-connoisseur.blogspot.com
Recipe courtesy Ina Garten:
INGREDIENTS
Good olive oil
2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled
3/4 pound zucchini
1 1/4 pounds medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.