Long Vegetable Cooking Brings Out More Depth of Flavors

Long-cooked vegetables will be almost limp, but very delicious (The "crispy" style started with nouvelle cruisine in the 1970s), usually served at room temperature.
They may not look as appealing when in the crispy state, but many prefer them prepared this way. They can be served as appetizers, mixed and matched, or combined with a variety of ingredients.

Eggplant and zucchini slices can be brushed with olive oil and grilled over a medium-hot fire until tender. As they come off the grill, you can layer the slices on a platter with fresh herbs and sprinkle with vinegar and olive oil.
Or you can take those same slices, add carrot ones to them, and FRY everything in hot oil until they're just brown, then coat with vinegar and fresh herbs. Set them aside so that the flavors can marinate.

You can grill whole bell peppers until their skins are shriveled and start to blacken. After the peppers are cool, peel away the skin and remove the seeds. Slice the peppers and toss them with sliced garlic, sherry vinegar, and olive oil.

Eggplant can also be steamed. Cut the eggplant (peeled or not) into chunks and steam until the flesh is extremely tender (7-8 minutes). Then toss with garlic and herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Have you ever tried roasted tomatoes? Slice off the top third of fresh tomatoes and squeeze out the seeds. Jam the tomatoes tightly into a well-oiled baking dish (The tomatoes shrivel and shrink in their own juices, concentrating the flavor), sprinkle with bread crumbs (You can grind fresh bread cubes or get a commercially prepared brand) and add a few drops of olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees until the crumbs are brown and crusty.

Braising is another long-cooking technique; It not only develops flavor but absorbs the flavors of other ingredients cooked with it.

For vegetable braises: Saute onion and garlic in a little oil (DON'T USE butter; it'll solidify and become grainy if the dish is served cool) to build a flavor base. Now, add the main ingredient.
Cut the veggie in large chunks so it'll cook long enough to develop flavor without falling apart. Cook briefly in the flavoring mixture and add a little water to start the braising (the veggie will release its own moisture). Reduce the heat to low and cook long enough to get the flavor out of the veggie (For a soft vegetable, this can take only 20 minutes).

Some sort of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, is a major factor of long cooking (Acid content gives the dish needed "oomph" to avoid feeling flat and heavy). It's as important a seasoning as salt. And because these vegetable dishes are served at room temperature, they require a bit more seasoning (cold minimizes flavor, while heat exaggerates it).

As long as you remember to bring these veggie dishes to room temperature before serving (to bring out maximum flavor or taste), they can be made hours in advance of dinner (or even the day before).

Enjoy!