Vol-au-Vent With Sautèed Vegetables
This morning had been splendid like the other past days we have been experiencing. Sunny, clear blue sky and almost warm temperature. It's really spring! And when I started opening all the windows in our house, I can almost hear the wonderful music of nature (the birds were really chirping louder than usual) and an imaginary song full of flowery lyrics. I felt like I was a protagonist in a fairy tale being so cheery in the morning, before tackling the morning's chores. Then when my eyes landed on our neighbor, the music made a sudden stop and my heart skipped a beat.
Like any normal person on such a beautiful warm day, she had her gardening gloves on while working with sheer concentration with the plants in the planters a few meters in front of me. Beautiful, isn't it? Only her geographical position was wrong. She was working in the wrong planters and uprooting the bulbs. I had a clear case of plant stealing in front of me!
The owners just moved away and asked us and the other remaining neighbors to just water them because they were in our compound's communal planters that are in front of their house. They're yellow irises that should be blooming soon. The neighbor who was digging them up has actually already tried twice to take with her a pot of plants but she immediately put back to its place after seeing me watching her. Apparently, this morning was the day when she gathered her courage to dig them all up.
As I watched her work, I had a heavy heart. Practicality wise, the plants are better off on her balcony where she can attend to them daily. No one, not even us, have the time to take care of those irises. We even struggle with our time with our own plants! So there, I let our resident plant thief get away with what she does the best. She and her husband already stole 4 potted palms from us that I lovingly planted from seeds. She repotted them and displayed them on her balcony. There had been a squabble about it but we let it pass. Our other neighbors stopped planting vegetables and other flowering plants outside their homes because when the vegetables are ready to be harvested, they usually disappear. Everyone has been pointing fingers at them for as long as I remember but I think I was the only one who clearly witnessed her stealing the plants. Sigh, but this time, the plants are better off with her.
As I watched her work, I had a heavy heart. Practicality wise, the plants are better off on her balcony where she can attend to them daily. No one, not even us, have the time to take care of those irises. We even struggle with our time with our own plants! So there, I let our resident plant thief get away with what she does the best. She and her husband already stole 4 potted palms from us that I lovingly planted from seeds. She repotted them and displayed them on her balcony. There had been a squabble about it but we let it pass. Our other neighbors stopped planting vegetables and other flowering plants outside their homes because when the vegetables are ready to be harvested, they usually disappear. Everyone has been pointing fingers at them for as long as I remember but I think I was the only one who clearly witnessed her stealing the plants. Sigh, but this time, the plants are better off with her.
But let's move to these beautiful vol-au-vents. I got the idea when I was watching Chef Luca Montersino prepare them in his show. Aside from being very healthy and simple, the combination of the fresh vegetables give a fresh and straightforward taste. The vegetarians will really be happy!
Ready-made vol-au-vent pastries are available everywhere here so instead of making them from scratch (from making the puff pastry then the vol-au-vents), I went for the shortcut and I had these beauties ready in just a matter of few minutes. If you want to make them from puff pastry sheets, you can find the recipe below.
I hope you're all enjoying your week and that your plants are safe with you! Buon appetito!
More Vegetable Appetizer Recipes:
Vol-au-Vent With Sautèed Vegetables
Ingredients:
Yields 8
- 8 ready-made vol-au-vent pastries
- 1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced in uniform sizes
- 1/4 cup red pepper, diced in uniform sizes
- 1/4 cup zucchini, diced in uniform sizes
- 1/4 cup eggplant, diced in uniform sizes
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- fresh herbs for garnishing
Directions:
- Over medium heat, in a medium saucepan with extra virgin olive oil, sautè the vegetables. Toss for 10 minutes.
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Fill up the vol-au-vent pastries with the vegetables.
- Garnish with the fresh herbs.
Vol-au-Vent Pastries (Using Pre-Made Puff Pastry Sheets):
Ingredients:
- pre-made puff pastry sheets
- egg wash (1 - 2 eggs)
- 2 round food cutters with 2 sizes
- To make one vol-au-vent, use the bigger round food cutter to cut 3 circular shapes.
- With the use of the smaller round food cutter, make holes in the 2 of the circular shapes.
- To compose the vol-au-vent, layer first the full circular shape, brush with the egg wash then put the second circular shape with the hole in the middle, brush with the egg wash then put the remaining circular shape.
- Put them on a baking pan lined with baking paper.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven of 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
