American | Olive Oil-Glazed Baby Vegetables

Posted on March 8, 2011

This is one of the prettiest vegetable dishes that I have ever seen. Plus it's really good. I made this using only carrots and fennel a few days ago, it's part of the Turkey Scaloppine picture. I need to make with a mix of vegetables to get a proper picture. I posted anyway since the recipe is so good.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 fresh thyme sprig, preferably lemon thyme

4 cups mixed baby vegetables, such as carrots, artichokes, onions, fennel, zucchini, and summer squash

2 medium celery stalks, peeled and cut into matchsticks

kosher sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

Method

Cut all vegetables into about the same size. If you aren't using baby vegetables, cut larger ones into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Combine the olive oil with 1 cup water in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the thyme and then the vegetables in stages, starting with the heartier ones, like fennel, carrots, and onions. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pan with a lid or, even better, parchment paper laid directly on the vegetables, and cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. You're not trying to color the vegetables, so adjust the heat accordingly. Add the more tender vegetables, such as zucchini and summer squash, as well as the celery and continue cooking until all of the vegetables are tender, another 5 minutes or so. Remove the vegetables to a serving dish with a slotted spoon, drizzle with a little of the flavorful oil from the pan, and keep warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: I usually make less than 4 cups of vegetables. Just lower the olive oil/water amount keeping the same proportion.

Note: I use parchment paper laid directly on vegetables.

Note: When I made with carrots and fennel, both were done after 10 minutes. So if I had more to add, they would have been overdone. I recommended checking your vegetables rather than relying on the time.

 

(Ref. "Olive Oil-Glazed Baby Vegetables", Stir cookbook.)