Vegetable Casserole with Fresh Herbs, Lemons and Cured Black Olives

By Taraespo

The mandoline seems to be my go-to kitchen tool of choice these days. Thinly sliced vegetables and lemons are drizzled with olive oil and layered with fresh herbs, then baked for 40 minutes. Dry-cured black olives, Parmesan, and basil finish the dish. The result is a light fresh casserole that can be enjoyed warm or at room-temperature, easily wrapped up and whisked off to a picnic or the beach (or both). And would be equally fitting served as part of a fancy buffet dinner.

Ingredients

• Potato
• Zucchini
• Yellow Squash
• Tomato
• Lemon
• Onion
• Garlic
• Parmesan
• Dry-Cured Black Olives
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Basil
• Parmesan
• olive oil

Preparation

Step 1

Grease a casserole dish with olive oil. Place a layer of over-lapping thinly sliced potatoes in the casserole dish. Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and oregano. Repeat with a layer of thinly sliced zucchini and yellow crook-necked squash.

Top the squash layer with thinly sliced lemons (seeds removed) and colorful sliced cocktail tomatoes. Bake uncovered in a 375° convection oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile toss thinly sliced onion with minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. After the casserole has cooked for 20 minutes. Spread the onion mixture over the top of the casserole and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the onions are browned and starting to crisp.

Right when the casserole comes out of the oven, dot the top with dry-cured black olives so that they warm up.

Finish with shaved or crumbled Parmesan and plenty of fresh basil.