You will momentarily be redirected to the Central Park West CSA's new website. If you are not redirected, please click here.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Vegetable Skewers: A colorful side dish consisting of miscellaneous veggies

Consider buying a package of skewers (A package of 100 12-inch long bamboo skewers currently costs $2.99 at Fresh Direct) and using some of them to assemble random leftover pieces of vegetables as an attractive side dish.  

Use whatever vegetables you like or have in your refrigerator other than those which won’t stay on a skewer such as leafy greens.  Try to choose vegetables that together will create a bouquet of varied colors.  Keep in mind that you can either grill or broil them on the skewers or assemble them onto the skewers once you have cooked them.  The latter method is best if you will be using vegetables that require different cooking times or methods.

Roast small cubes of beets and inch long pieces of fingerling potatoes with salt and pepper, for example, and sprinkle salt and pepper on inch squares of red pepper, small round green squash and red onion and salt and pepper them, and broil or grill them along with small whole mushrooms (or halves or quarters of larger ones)  and cherry tomatoes.

While cooking, be sure to remove the vegetables as they soften sufficiently according to your preferences.  Be sure to remove them before they become too soft or they will fall off the skewers.

If you like caramelized onions, sprinkle raw onion squares with balsamic vinegar before saute’ing them.

Enjoy assembling the various pieces on the skewers, keeping in mind that their colors should be arranged attractively.

Try different combinations of vegetables each time you make this dish.  In fall, use chunks of sweet potato and cubes of zucchini along with whatever mushrooms are in season.  Whichever medley you use, the outcome is a colorful and healthy bouquet of veggies that can accompany any entrĂ©e.

Enjoy!
Susan Spieler

No comments:

Post a Comment