Medley of green and white vegetables

Proportions are for one person.  Simply multiply by the number of guests at your table to reproduce this extra simple main course.  It’s vegetarian too!

Ingredients:

3 fat green asparagus

3 fat white asparagus

Handful of green beans, preferably small haricot verts, with stems removed

Handful of fava beans, removed from pod

Handful of fresh peas, removed from pod

Six small potatoes, Ratte or fingerling, with skins

Sweet butter

Malden salt

Pepper

Chives, thinly sliced

Cooking directions:

Preheat oven to 350⁰F

1.       Cut off dry ends of asparagus;  then peel to 1/3 or ½ up the stalk. (Or if you prefer, snap off the lower part of the stem where they break easily.)

2.       Put asparagus into a shallow baking pan lined with foil. Brush with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

3.       Bake asparagus until done, 10-15 minutes, or until tender when poked with a sharp knife.

4.       Cook fava beans in boiling water until bright green.

5.       Remove fava beans from the water, strain and place into a bowl of ice and water to stop the cooking process.

6.       When cooled, strain, and remove the fava bean’s outer skin with a small sharp knife, making a small cut at the top of the bean, then popping it out with your finger.  Put aside.

7.       Meanwhile, in the same cooking water, cook the green beans for several minutes until bright green.

8.       Stain and set aside.

9.       Again, using the same cooking water, boil the fresh peas for several minutes until bright green and remove.  Set aside.

10.   Cook the potatoes until done (time varies depending on size). Strain and set aside.

11.   Use the remaining water—which will have picked up favors from all the vegetables—as broth for another meal.

12.   Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of sweet butter in skillet, and one by one, reheat the vegetables. Add more butter as needed.  Keep each succession of reheated vegetables warm in the oven.

13.   Remove asparagus from the oven and serve on warmed plates along with the other vegetables.

14.   Sprinkle chives over the potatoes and then, Malden salt over everything.

Serves: 1

Wine suggestion:  Sancerre from the Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc or Gruner Veltliner