And tumble I did for this dish. Okay, sorry – that was really nerdy! But this dish warranted a little hoopla.
In order to use a variety of vegetables from the local market (with the supply and variety that is available at the market – I can’t keep buying just tomatoes and cucumbers!), I saw this recipe in my French Taste cookbook, I knew I had to make it – not to mention that it looked so pretty.
CH is not a fan of radishes normally (I love them, especially in potato salad), so I was curious to see how he’d react with not only radishes, but turnips too, in one dish. I am happy to report that not a peep came out of his mouth as we enjoyed this dish with a glass of Chinon Blanc and there was not a pea left on his plate at the end of dinner. I’d say that was a resounding success.
The fresh vegetable and bright herbs, combined with the soft butter flavour created a perfect spring dish that paired amazingly well with the roast chicken we had with it. I just love the bright colors of the dish and the variety of vegetables it offers all in on one plate. It is truly a dish that celebrates that spring/summer has finally arrived.
Although this dish took a bit of time to prepare (blanching all the vegetables), it was well worth it. I think it would be a welcome addition to any bbq buffet or as a side-dish to Sunday dinner – it is really that beautiful yet so simple.
Feel free to use whatever vegetables appeal to you or whatever looks the freshest at your farmer’s market or local store. This dish is all about enjoying what’s in season, so I am sure you will enjoy the fresh taste of spring regardless of what vegetables you use!
Enjoy.
Spring Vegetable Tumble
Yield: 4 side servings (two main course servings)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 baby garden carrots, halved lengthwise
- 10 stalks of asparagus, halved lengthwise
- 1 cup of green beans, trimmed
- 6 radishes, halved
- 5 baby turnips, quartered
- 1 cup frozen or shelled peas
- 1 cup fresh snow peas (I couldn’t find them at my market, so I didn’t have them in mine, but I know they would be a delicious addition)
- 2 tbsp of butter
- 2 tbsp of chives, parsley and tarragon
- S&P to taste
Directions:
Prepare a large bowl (or your sink) full of ice-cold water.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water and blanche all of the vegetables separately.
Exact time it will take to get each vegetable just shy of tender will depend on the thickness and quantity of each, but it will likely be around 2 – 3 minutes.
Remove the vegetables from the water using tongs or handheld strainer and immediately dunk into the cold water (this sets the color and stops the cooking process). I left all of my vegetables soaking in the cold water until I was done blanching all of the others.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and the melt the butter until just about brown. Add all of the vegetables to the pan and toss to coat. Allow the vegetables to warm through (2-3 minutes).
Season vegetable mixture with S&P, toss with the fresh herbs and serve.
Enjoy!
JBean Cuisine 