Confit Byaldi

This is a vegetable dish  that Jordan found a few years ago.  It is does take some time to put together, but it is a pretty and tasty vegetable dish.  And next time I make it I will post a picture so you can see what it looks like.

Confit Byaldi

Ingredients

For Piperade

1/2 red pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 yellow pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 orange pepper, seeds and ribs removed
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup freshly diced yellow onion
3 tomatoes (about 12 oz. total weight), peeled, seeded and finely diced, juices reserved
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig flat-leaf parsley
1/2 a bay leaf
Kosher salt

For Vegetables

1 zucchini (4-5 oz.) sliced in 1/16 inch rounds
1 Japanese eggplant (4-5 oz.) sliced into 1/16 inch rounds
1 yellow squash (4-5 oz.) sliced into 1/16 inch rounds
4 roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/16 inch rounds
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. thyme leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Assorted fresh herbs (thyme flowers, chervil, thyme)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Directions

For Piperade
Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Place pepper halves on a foil-lined sheet, cut side down.  Roast until skin loosens, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let rest until cool enough to handle.  Peel and chop finely.

Combine oil, garlic and onion in medium skillet over low heat until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes.  Add tomatoes, their juices, thyme, parsley and bay leaf.  Simmer over low heat until very soft and very little liquid remains, about 10 minutes, do not brown; add peppers and simmer to soften them.  Season to taste with salt, and discard herbs.  Reserve tablespoon of mixture and spread remainder in bottom of an 8-inch skillet.

For Vegetables
Heat oven to 275 degrees.  Down center of pan, arrange a strip of 8 alternating slices of vegetables over piperade, overlapping so that 1/4 inch of each slice is exposed.  Around the center strip, overlap vegetables in a close spiral the lets slices mound slightly toward center.  Repeat until pan is filled;  all vegetables may not be needed.

Mix garlic, oil and thyme leaves in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over vegetables. Cover pan with foil and crimp edges to seal well.  Bake until vegetables are tender when tested with a paring knife, about 2 hours.  Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more. (Lightly cover with foil if it starts to brown.) If there is excess liquid in pan, place over medium heat on stove until reduced.  (At this point it may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.  Serve cold or reheat in 350 degree oven until warm.)

For Vinaigrette
Combine reserved piperade, oil, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.

To serve
Heat broiler and place byaldi underneath until lightly browned.  Slice in quarters and very carefully lift onto plate with offset spatula.    Turn spatula 90 degrees, guiding byaldi into fan shape.  Drizzle vinaigrette around plate.  Serve hot.

Yield:  4 servings