It's a weeknight. You already know what you're making for the main course — something simple but satisfying.
But what about a side dish? You could steam some green beans, again. You could steam some asparagus, again. You could bake a potato, again.
But you have been there and you have definitely done that.
You want a vegetable side dish that does justice to your entree. But it's a weeknight, so you want it to be simple. Simple but satisfying.
After perusing perhaps 200 vegetable recipes, I can definitely state that, according to them, there is one consistent, no-fail method to sprucing up your vegetables: add cream. I don't care what the vegetable is, dousing it in a gallon or two of heavy cream is going to make it taste better.
If you have an exceptional metabolism or are a boxer trying to step up a class in weight, I recommend it. Otherwise, you might be happier trying these other four vegetable dishes that I recently made. Each one is quick, simple and unfussy.
Mushroom Rice With Turmeric, for instance, is a vast improvement on ordinary rice. For that matter, it is an improvement on mushrooms, and also turmeric.
The rice is cooked with mushrooms, onion and garlic, and flavored (and colored) with turmeric. Instead of water it is cooked with chicken broth, which is a surefire way to make your rice more flavorful, and it is mostly cooked in the oven instead of on the stove top.
I don't know why that would make a difference, but it certainly did not hurt.
Next up was Green Beans With Mustard Sauce. I love green beans, but it is more for the low cost and the ease with which they are prepared than for the flavor. But that is only because I had not previously considered making them with a mustard sauce.
Do not be daunted by the thought of a mustard sauce. That term is far too fancy for what this sauce is. It's just a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and a bit of Dijon mustard. But that mixture, which is just the simplest of vinaigrettes, does magical things to a plate of hot green beans.
A basic vinaigrette also provides the necessary balance to an Italian favorite, Three Bean Salad.
The three beans in question are cannellini beans (or any white beans), garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) and lentils. Because this is a weeknight dish, all are served fresh out of the can — but only if you can find canned lentils. You can always cook your own dried lentils. They don't take long, especially if you use red lentils.
Beans, of course, are noted for their earthiness, so they need something to enliven them. That's where the vinaigrette comes in. The mixture here of olive oil, white wine vinegar and lemon juice perks up the flavors and brings the dish to life.
Amazingly, it only takes a few minutes to make something that tastes this good.
My last weeknight vegetable side dish is the easiest of all. And to many Americans, it is the least familiar.
Parsnips are a forgotten vegetable in this country, despite being quite delicious. A root vegetable, they are in the same family (Apiaceae) as carrots, and also parsley. Celery, too, as well as dill and chervil, but when you see parsnips you are going to think of carrots.
Their taste is probably closer to carrots than anything else, but the flavor is actually unique. They are earthy, but a little sweet. And if you roast them, they become sweeter still.
To roast parsnips, all you have to do is peel them and cut them into pieces. Toss the pieces in olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook them in the oven.
What could be simpler?
Mushroom Rice With Turmeric (TNS/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Hillary Levin) Mushroom Rice With Turmeric
- ¾ pound mushrooms
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Cut the mushroom caps into ¼-inch cubes. There should be about 2 cups.
Heat butter in an ovenproof saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and add the onion and garlic. Cook about 2 minutes and add the mushrooms. Cook about 5 minutes, frequently stirring. Sprinkle with turmeric and add the rice and bay leaf. Stir until the rice is coated and add the chicken broth; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a boil on top of the stove.
Once boiling, move to oven and bake for exactly 17 minutes. Remove the cover and discard the bay leaf. Fluff rice with a fork.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (based on 4) contains approximately 251 calories, 7 g protein, 5 g fat, 45 g carbohydrate (3 g sugar), 13 mg cholesterol, 885 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Adapted from "Craig Claiborne's The New York Times Cook Book" by Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey
Green Beans With Mustard Sauce (TNS/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Hillary Levin) Green Beans With Mustard Sauce
- 1 pound green beans
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper
Trim ends of the beans, but leave beans whole. Let stand in cold water until ready to use. Steam in a vegetable steamer or boil until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
As the beans cook, whisk together mustard, lemon juice and olive oil until thoroughly combined. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Drain the beans when cooked. Add the mustard sauce to the beans and toss to coat well. Serve piping hot.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 70 calories, 2 g protein, 5 g fat, 7 g carbohydrate (3 g sugar), no cholesterol, 431 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Recipe from "Craig Claiborne's The New York Times Cook Book" by Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey
Three Bean Salad (TNS/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Hillary Levin) Three Bean Salad
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ (15-ounce) can lentils, drained and rinsed (see note)
- ½ (15.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 bunch fresh chives, chopped
Place the cannellini beans, lentils and garbanzo beans in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Combine the vinegar and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and add to the salad. Sprinkle with the chives and toss lightly. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: If your grocery store doesn't carry canned lentils, you can cook a small amount of dried lentils yourself, or substitute ½ (15-ounce) can of black beans.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 395 calories, 15 g protein, 20 g fat, 42 g carbohydrate (1 g sugar), no cholesterol, 331 mg sodium and 9 g fiber.
Recipe from "The Silver Spoon"
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Roasted Parsnips
- 4 large parsnips, peeled, quartered lengthwise, then quartered crosswise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place parsnips on a baking dish or sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast parsnips uncovered until tender, about 35 minutes.
Makes 4 serving.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 160 calories, 2 g protein, 7 g fat, 24 g carbohydrate (6 g sugar), no cholesterol, sodium varies and 7 g fiber.
Recipe from "The Bon Appetit Cookbook: Fast Easy Fresh" by Barbara Fairchild