At the farmers market this weekend, I bought some baby beets, yellow carrots and green beans. Then I found a couple of recipes in an old Williams-Sonoma cookbook and they were both so good I want to share them with you. They are both really simple and the flavor of the fresh vegetables shined through.
Baby Beets and Carrots with Dill - Serves 6
(Red and yellow baby beets, particularly those varieties with striped flesh, make this dish special. If you can't find them, full-grown beets and carrots will work. Simply cut them into small pieces.)
1 lb red and yellow baby beets, about 1.5" diameter
1/2 lb baby carrots, peeled
2 tsp butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
If the beet greens are still attached, cut them off, leaving about 1 inch of the stem intact. In a large pot fitted with a a steamer basket, bring 1 inch water to a boil. Add the unpeeled beets, cover and steam until tender - 20-25 minutes. Remove from pot and let stand until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into quarters. Set aside and keep warm.
Check the pot, add water to a depth of 1 inch if necessary, and return to a boil. Add the baby carrots, cover and steam until tender, 5-7 minutes. (If carrots are varied sizes, cut the larger ones into halves or thirds for even cooking.) Remove from the pot.
In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the butter, olive oil, lemon juice and chopped dill. Add the beets, toss gently to combine and transfer to serving dish. Serve immediately, garnished with the dill springs.
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Green Beans with Red Pepper and Garlic - Serves 6
1 lb green beans, stems trimmed
2 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne
1/2 tsp chile paste or red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil (I used toasted oil)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cut beans into 2-inch pieces. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until they turn bright green and are tender-crisp, 1-3 minutes. Drain the beans, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. At the bell pepper and toss and stir for about 1 minutes. Add the beans and saute for 1 minute longer. Add the chile paste and garlic and toss and stir for 1 minute longer. The beans will be tender and bright green. Drizzle with the sesame oil and season with the salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Source: The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook (2004)
Baby Beets and Carrots with Dill - Serves 6
(Red and yellow baby beets, particularly those varieties with striped flesh, make this dish special. If you can't find them, full-grown beets and carrots will work. Simply cut them into small pieces.)
1 lb red and yellow baby beets, about 1.5" diameter
1/2 lb baby carrots, peeled
2 tsp butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
If the beet greens are still attached, cut them off, leaving about 1 inch of the stem intact. In a large pot fitted with a a steamer basket, bring 1 inch water to a boil. Add the unpeeled beets, cover and steam until tender - 20-25 minutes. Remove from pot and let stand until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into quarters. Set aside and keep warm.
Check the pot, add water to a depth of 1 inch if necessary, and return to a boil. Add the baby carrots, cover and steam until tender, 5-7 minutes. (If carrots are varied sizes, cut the larger ones into halves or thirds for even cooking.) Remove from the pot.
In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the butter, olive oil, lemon juice and chopped dill. Add the beets, toss gently to combine and transfer to serving dish. Serve immediately, garnished with the dill springs.
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Green Beans with Red Pepper and Garlic - Serves 6
1 lb green beans, stems trimmed
2 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne
1/2 tsp chile paste or red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil (I used toasted oil)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cut beans into 2-inch pieces. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until they turn bright green and are tender-crisp, 1-3 minutes. Drain the beans, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. At the bell pepper and toss and stir for about 1 minutes. Add the beans and saute for 1 minute longer. Add the chile paste and garlic and toss and stir for 1 minute longer. The beans will be tender and bright green. Drizzle with the sesame oil and season with the salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Source: The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook (2004)
