Like most kids, I never wanted to eat my vegetables when I was growing up. I carefully counted out the requisite number of corn kernels (in my house, we had to eat at least as many as the number of years we'd been alive) and wouldn't eat a single one more than I had to, and I actually plugged my nose in order to get down the slices of canned beets my mom sometimes served. I regularly fled to a back bedroom just to avoid the smell when she boiled Brussels sprouts, and the only way I ate zucchini with any degree of willingness was when it was battered and fried.
I couldn't help but smile at those memories the other day, when a friend and I spent several minutes agonizing over a beautiful list of vegetable side dishes at a restaurant, hard-pressed to choose just four of them to enjoy with our dinner. Suffice to say, times have changed. Not only have I grown up quite a bit since those days of sprout-fleeing and nose-holding, I've also learned that, when it comes to vegetables, preparation matters. A lot.
In the spirit of sharing the joy of well-prepared vegetables, here are a few of my favorite recipes, plus a few I've never tried — but no doubt will soon.
(For the record, though, deep down I believe dishes like this are best improvised: Choose whatever looks most tempting in the produce section, then come home, and see what you can do with whatever you already have in your kitchen. Still, for the sake of a jumping-off point ...)
Zucchini: This one has been a staple in my kitchen this summer. I've never bothered with the cheese; the almonds and zucchini are all the flavor I need. If you think it sounds too simple to bother with, do yourself a favor and think again. It's that good. This one is a bit more dressed up, but similarly delicious.
Brussels sprouts: I somehow always seem to hear a loud, karmic laugh when I admit that I kind of love Brussels sprouts these days, but I do. (As long as they're fresh. And not boiled.) My new favorite sprouts recipe involves little more than lemon juice, garlic and poppy seeds, but after browsing around a bit more, it looks like I need to branch out a bit. Whether serving as the centerpiece for a salad, floating in a buttery sauce with chestnuts or left to stand simply on their own (with the help of a little caramelizing action), I have a hunch all these recipes could make a convert of even the most ardent sprouts-haters.
Onions: I can't say whether I would have liked onions in my childhood, given my mother hates them and they never made an appearance on our kitchen table. All I know is that I'm crazy about them now — especially when I have the patience to caramelize them — and get balsamic vinegar in on the fun. Rest assured, the next time I see cipollini onions at the farmers' market, this dish will follow before too long.
Corn: Like "balsamic vinegar," the words "brown butter" are something of a siren song to me. Throw some fresh corn and thyme into the mix, and I'm not sure how this dish could fail to impress.
Kale: Something about the idea of kale — the fact that it's leafy and green, or that it's chock-full of vitamins — makes it sound somewhat … unappealing. Once again, I'd advise doing yourself a favor and giving it a shot; you might be surprised. I love the idea of teaming it with an egg (though I'd probably do mine over-easy) and bread, and a simple