Creamy Vegetable Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 225 g (~2 cups) frozen sliced peppers (or 3 fresh bell peppers, sliced or diced)
• 100 g (~1 cup) frozen sweetcorn
• 100 g (~1 cup) frozen peas
• 1/2 small head broccoli (or ~2 cups prepared broccoli)
• ~6 medium mushrooms, sliced or diced
• 35 g (~2 1/2 tbsp) butter
• 2 1/2 tbsp plain flour
• 250 ml (~1 cup) milk
• 250 ml (~1 cup) vegetable stock
• Black pepper, to taste
• 75 g cheddar cheese, grated (~3/4 cup when grated)
• 50 g (~1/3 cup) fine breadcrumbs (shop-bought or homemade)
• Spray oil

Instructions:

1. Cook the Vegetables
   Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add all the vegetables (frozen peppers, sweetcorn, peas, broccoli, and mushrooms) and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are nearly cooked through. If you’re using hard vegetables like carrots or potatoes, you may need to parboil them before adding to the pan.

2. Prepare the White Sauce
   In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir to form a paste. Let it cook for a minute or so, stirring constantly, before gradually adding the milk, stirring well each time to ensure a smooth sauce. Once smooth, add the vegetable stock, again pouring it in slowly, and stir until combined.

3. Combine Vegetables and Sauce
   Add the prepared white sauce to the cooked vegetables, stirring until everything is well mixed. Season with black pepper (and salt if needed, though the stock may already provide enough salt). Transfer this mixture into a suitably sized baking dish (around 9 x 7 inches).

4. Top with Cheese and Breadcrumbs
   Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese and fine breadcrumbs evenly over the vegetable mixture. Lightly spray the top with oil to help the topping crisp up during baking.

5. Bake
   Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F / Gas Mark 5). Bake the gratin for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are piping hot and the topping has become golden and crispy.