ANY KIND OF VEGETABLE SAUTÉ

We enjoy cooking through the seasons, and nothing lends itself to that like produce. When we go to the market, there is usually a line-item on our grocery list that simply says “veggies”, as we like to be spontaneously inspired by seasonal produce. We are so blessed to have purveyors that regularly surprise us with irresistible farm-fresh finds like miniature squash, small round Thai eggplants, purple and white asparagus, baby artichokes, a manifold of mushrooms, and a rainbow-variety of carrots, in addition to their other regular items. So, making a concrete decision before we go would only ruin the fun!

This method of simply sautéing any combination of vegetables allows for creative license to mix and match any variety of fresh garden delights to easily accompany any main course. The base is composed of olive oil, sautéed shallot, garlic, and vermouth. From there the vegetables are layered in according to their cooking times. This main recipe is very neutral in its seasoning, however if you want to slant it toward another flavor profile, you can easily do that with herbs and spices. This gives you the opportunity to be inspired by what you find in your market and then let your imagination run wild!

Any Vegetable Sauté

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Course Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Shallot finely chopped
• 1-2 Garlic Cloves minced or grated on a micro plane
• 5 Cups Mixed Vegetables, 2-4 variations, divided *See Notes
• 1/3 Cup White Wine or Vermouth
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• NOTE: The cooking time for this dish will take a total of 5-6 minutes. Once you place in the first vegetables, it will go quickly.
• Place a sauté pan over medium high heat for about 30-45 seconds to let it get hot.

  Reduce the heat to medium, add the Olive Oil, and let that heat up until the oil looks like it’s shimmering. (About 20-30 seconds)
• Add the Shallots and stir to evenly coat with the oil. Let them cook for about 30 Seconds.
• Add the Garlic and mix with the Shallots. *(If either the Shallots or Garlic start to brown, reduce the heat. The goal is soft and translucent, not fried or crisp.)
• Add the Vegetables that take 5-6 minutes to cook. (Items like Asparagus, Snap Peas, Eggplant, Okra, or Mushrooms)
• At around 2 minutes in, add the rest of the vegetables and White Wine or Vermouth. stir to combine. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes while allowing the Wine to reduce and evaporate.

  (The veggies in this step would be things like: Zucchini, Squash, and any Parboiled items).
• Use a knife to test the resistance of the vegetables. When cooked there should be no resistance.
• Remove from the heat and season with Salt and Pepper.
• If you want to add something fresh on top, try adding chopped Fresh Herbs, Chives, or Green Onion. Lemon or orange zest is also always nice too if you have it.

Notes

1. Any Combination of 2-4 different vegetables has been an ideal ratio for us, and is manageable during our prep time. 

2. It’s VERY helpful to cut everything approximately the same size, and thinly slice things like celery or fennel, so they have the same cooking time. Plus, it just looks better!

3. If you want to add longer-cook items like Green Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, or Brussels Sprouts, it’s best to first parboil them for 2-3 minutes. After parboiling, place them in ice water for a minute or so, remove and then set aside. Add them to the sauté during the last 2-3 minutes. **This helps them cook without losing their vibrant color.

• Alternatively, if you want to use just one pan: you could add these types of vegetables to your pan first, add some water, cover and steam for 4-5 minutes until “almost” cooked. Place the pan in the sink and allow cold water to rinse the vegetables to stop the cooking. Remove and set aside the Vegetables, drain the water & add your Olive Oil to the pan. Begin the recipe as outlined above.

 

4. Adding Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, or Butternut Squash is great too. Just cut them to a similar size as the rest of the vegetables and boil or steam them so they are cooked all the way through. Toss them into your mixed vegetable sauté right at the end and combine. Same goes for Beans, Lentils, and Legumes which are also a great add to any veggie dish. *If you have leftovers of any of these, it makes a great add to the sauté. 

5. When using fresh greens like Spinach or Chard, add them at the very end, during the last 2-3 minutes. (The stalks of Chard need to be cooked longer. About 5-7 minutes total)

6. I’ve listed just a few of our most-frequent combinations here. We cook these or any combination of these on a regular basis:

• Zucchini-Yellow Squash-Asparagus 
• Baby Cauliflower-Green Beans-Eggplant
• Snap Pease-Okra-White Asparagus 
• Eggplant-Peas-Cherry Tomatoes
• Broccoli-Celery-Red Peppers-Mushrooms 
• Green Beans-Okra-Potatoes-Cherry Tomatoes
• Zucchini-Fennel-Spinach
• Snap Peas-Okra-Corn

 

7. Feel free to change up the flavor profiles. Add chopped Leek or diced red onion instead of the shallot. Use fresh or dried herbs like Thyme, Oregano, Tarragon, Basil, Thai Basil, or Dill. Use spices like Cumin, Cardamom, Tumeric, Fennel Powder, or Fresh Ginger. The options are endless!

8. ASIAN FLAVORS:

If you want to use Asian vegetables and flavorings use the following substitutions:

Coconut oil, Avocado oil, or Peanut Oil, instead of Olive Oil

Add a Tbsp or so of fresh Ginger with the Shallot and Garlic

Add 2-3 Tbsp of Hoisin or Oyster Sauce and 1/3 Cup of water, instead of the wine. A dash or two of soy sauce is good too. 

Top with Green Onion slices and toasted sesame seeds.

 

 

Keyword Vegetables

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