The holidays, for me, don’t officially end until we’ve eaten up the Christmas baking. We’re almost there: Just a few savory gruyere-pecan shortbread cookies, spiced with cayenne pepper, left to eat.
Now that we’re back into regular schedules and reasons for celebrating the season are dwindling, I’m craving vegetables — especially green ones — more. Maybe it’s to make up for all that shortbread I savored, err… inhaled, this past month.
This recipe for green beans and asparagus with a tangy parsley sauce hits the spot.
It really doesn’t need much of a recipe, it’s that easy. Steamed green vegetables with a simple herb vinaigrette. Kind of like a parsley pesto, I guess, except without the nuts. It can be made ahead, and served warm, at room temperature, or cold (as I did the next day with the leftovers).
I like this kind of sauce because it’s not fussy but it helps add a little oomph to vegetables. But you don’t have to stop with vegetables: Spoon a little into a sandwich, use it as a sauce for grilled fish or chicken or stir it into a creamy soup. Here are a few more really tasty looking, ideas to work parsley and vegetables into your new year:
- Parsley Pesto from Rachel Eats
- Lemon Parsley Grilled Zucchini from Against All Grain
- Oven Roasted Vegetables and Parsley Sauce from A Suitcase Full of Mangoes
A simple way to dress up green vegetables, as a side dish or salad, on a dreary winter day. This can be served warm, or made ahead and served at room temperature or chilled.
Ingredients
- 9 ounces green beans and asparagus (or any green vegetable, on its own or combined with others)
- 1 handful Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1/2 shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon capers, minced
- 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
- juice and zest (minced) of 1 lemon
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine parsley, shallot, capers, mustard and lemon zest and juice. Add a little salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil a little at a time, until the sauce has emulsified. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Set aside.
- Steam, blanch or microwave green beans and asparagus until just tender. (Err on the side of under cooking them slightly, particularly if you're making this ahead of serving time.) Transfer vegetables to a large bowl.
- Pour half of the parsley sauce over the vegetables and toss to coat. Add more sauce if you find the vegetables need more. Serve immediately or keep at room temperature for a few hours.
- Refrigerate any leftovers and have them for lunch the next day -- they're fabulous this way!
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