Seasonal Vegetables Recipe

Make confit

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). In a small ovenproof saucepan or baking dish, combine peeled garlic cloves, extra-virgin olive oil, dry red wine, thyme sprigs, coarse salt, and cracked black pepper. Make sure garlic is submerged; add a little extra olive oil if needed. Cover dish tightly with foil or a lid and place in the oven.

Bake gently for 60–75 minutes, until garlic is very soft and can be mashed with the back of a spoon. Remove from oven and let cool in the oil. Transfer garlic cloves and oil to a jar; reserve thyme. Confit can be made up to 5 days ahead and kept refrigerated (bring to room temperature before using).

Prep vegetables

Wash the patty pan squash, zucchini, baby carrots, red pepper, and red onion. For patty pans: slice each 1/3 inch thick across the body. Halve the small zucchini lengthwise then slice 1/3 inch pieces. Cut baby carrots in half lengthwise if thick. Seed and cut the red bell pepper into 1/2-inch strips. Cut the red onion into 1/4-inch wedges. Pat all vegetables dry with a towel to remove surface moisture (this helps coating adhere).

Set up dredging station

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment and place a wire rack on each sheet. In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour and cornstarch with a pinch of the salt and half the black pepper. In a second bowl, whisk eggs with milk until combined. In a third shallow bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, smoked paprika, garlic powder, remaining salt, and remaining black pepper.

One type of vegetable at a time (start with thicker pieces like patty pan and carrots), dredge pieces first in the flour mixture, tapping off excess, then dip into the egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then press into the panko mixture so pieces are evenly coated. Place coated vegetables on the wire racks. Lightly brush or spray the coated vegetables with neutral oil to help them brown in the oven.

Arrange vegetables with space between pieces for air circulation. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 18–25 minutes, flipping once halfway, until golden and crisp (smaller pieces like zucchini will take less time—check at 12–15 minutes). Remove from oven and let rest 2 minutes on the rack.

Prepare finishing oil

Spoon 3 tablespoons of the cooled red wine garlic confit oil into a small bowl. Mash 6–8 confit garlic cloves with a fork until smooth and stir into the oil. Stir in the dried chiltepin (start with 1/2 tsp if you prefer milder heat), fresh lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil for brightness. Taste and adjust salt or chiltepin to preference.

Transfer the oven-fried vegetables to a serving platter. Drizzle the confit-garlic-chiltepin oil over the warm vegetables in an even thread. Scatter reserved whole confit garlic cloves (halved if large) and a light sprinkling of fresh mint chiffonade across the platter. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and an optional extra grind of black pepper.

Serve immediately while vegetables are still crisp. Leftover confit sauce can be served on the side for dipping.