This is a simple veggie dish, and both vegans and meat eaters will love it.  It will go perfectly with a pesto pasta or grilled chicken, or even as the main course.  It has no meat, no dairy products, yet has an almost meaty flavor and texture!

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup Frey Biodynamic Chardonnay
4 cloves peeled garlic
1 apple, core removed
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. chopped rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup olive oil

2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
4 portobello mushrooms
3 onions (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 white, if possible)
2 zucchinis

2 fresh tomatoes, or 8 cherry tomatoes

The Marinade: Except for the olive oil, put all the ingredients for the marinade into a blender, (or Cuisinart).  Pour in the Chardonnay, then throw in the garlic cloves, the apple, cayenne, rosemary, bay leaves, honey, Dijon mustard, and the salt.  Blend it for a few seconds.  Then pour in the olive oil very slowly, in a thin stream, with the blender running.  Your marinade is ready!

Chop the Veggies: Chop them up but not too much!  Leave them big and chunky, like large slices of meat.  I prefer red and yellow bell peppers as their colorful hues are not lost to the roasting as much as green peppers.  I also prefer various colors of onions to have in the mix, all of which adds to the visual delight of the final product.  If the bit of stem on the portobellos look dried or aged, you can cut them off, but keep those portobello slices big and thick.  The same for the zucchini slices.

Let’s Marinate!  Put the chopped veggies into a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Stir the veggies thoroughly so the marinade coats every piece.  Let it sit for 4 hours, remixing about every 45 minutes as the marinade tends to settle to the bottom of the bowl.

Let’s Roast! Put the marinated veggies into a wide roasting pan (such as a cookie sheet or lasagna pan) and spread it out about an inch high.  Put in pre-heated oven at 400 degree.  After fifteen minutes, stir the veggies with a spoon.  Cook for another 10 minutes and check if veggies are done to your liking.  I prefer them al dente, with some firmness still on the insides and not mushy through and through.  Garnish with slices of fresh tomatoes. Enjoy with a glass of Frey Biodynamic Chardonnay!

(Recipe & images copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2013. All right reserved.)