Chapter 6. Vegetable Combinations

Artichauts la Mirielle
(Artichokes with Onions)
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
12 small white onions
2 packages frozen artichoke hearts
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup peeled diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Heat the oil in a deep skillet; saut the onions 10 minutes, shaking the pan frequently. Add the artichoke hearts, broth, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley. Serves 6-8.

Artichokes with Peas
2 packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 package frozen tiny green peas, thawed
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Dry the artichokes on paper towels. Heat the oil in a skillet; lightly brown the artichokes in it. Add the garlic, peas, lettuce, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat 10 minutes, adding a very little water if necessary to keep from burning. Serves 8-10.

Bean Panache
1 package frozen lima beans
1 package frozen green beans
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
? teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Cook the beans separately as packages direct; drain well. While beans are cooking, melt the butter; saut the onions 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, thyme and parsley; toss with the beans. Serves 4-6.

Mixed Beans au Gratin
1 package frozen green beans
1 package frozen wax beans
1 package frozen lima beans
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the beans separately 1 minute less than packages direct; drain. Mix together lightly in a baking dish. Melt the butter in a saucepan; saut the onion 2 minutes. Blend in the flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add the cream, stirring steadily to the boiling point; cook over low heat 5 minutes. Pour over the beans and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake in a preheated 375 oven 10 minutes or until browned. Serves 8-10.

Green Beans, Mushrooms and Almonds
1 1/2 pound green beans, or 2 packages frozen green beans
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Cook the beans until tender but firm; drain. Melt the butter in a skillet; saut" the onion 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms; saut 4 minutes. Mix in the salt, pepper and almonds; cook 1 minute. Add the cream to the beans; bring to a boil. Place in a serving dish with the mushroom mixture on top. Serves 6-8.

Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, or 2 packages frozen
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
? teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wash the fresh sprouts and trim them. Soak in salted water for 10 minutes; rinse and drain. Place in a saucepan; add boiling water to a depth of 1 inch and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over low heat 5 minutes. Cover pan and cook 10 minutes longer, or until tender. Drain. If frozen sprouts are used, cook 1/2 minute less than package directs. While the sprouts are cooking, prepare the mushrooms.

Melt the butter in a skillet; saut the mushrooms and onion 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, pepper and remaining salt; toss with the sprouts. Serves 6-8.

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts
1 pound chestnuts
1 cup beef broth
2 packages frozen Brussels Sprouts
1/4 pound butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut a crisscross in the pointed end of the chestnuts and bake in a 375 oven 15 minutes. Cool and remove the shells. Cook the chestnuts in the broth 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain well. Cook the sprouts as package directs; drain. Melt the butter in a skillet; add the chestnuts, tossing until well coated. Lightly mix in the sprouts, salt and pepper. Serves 8-10.

Celery and Tomatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup minced onion
4 cups sliced celery
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Melt the butter in a skillet; saut the onion 5 minutes. Add the celery; saut 5 minutes. Mix in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley. Serves 4-6.

Chinese Corn and Chicken
1 raw chicken breast
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 12-ounce can cream-style corn
1 cup water
2 egg whites

Remove the skin and bones of the chicken breast. Chop fine or grind. Mix with the salt, cornstarch and soy sauce.

Bring to a boil the un-drained corn and the water (reserving 1 tablespoon). Mix in the chicken mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Cook over low heat 10 minutes. Beat the egg whites and remaining water; stir into the corn mixture gradually. Cook 30 seconds. Serve with rice or noodles. Serves 2-4.

Eggplant and Asparagus Mornay
6 slices eggplant, cut 1/2 inch thick
3 teaspoons salt
? teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
24 asparagus stalks, washed and drained

Sprinkle the eggplant slices with 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper; dip in the flour. Heat the oil in a skillet; brown the eggplant on both sides. Transfer to a heated serving dish and keep warm. Cook the asparagus in 1/2-inch of boiling water with the remaining salt 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain; place 4 asparagus stalks on each slice of eggplant. Cover with the following sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
? teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Melt the butter in a saucepan; blend in the flour, salt and pepper. Add the milk, stirring steadily to the boiling point; cook over low heat 10 minutes. Mix in the cheeses and lemon juice, stirring until melted. Spoon over the vegetables. Serves 6.

Eggplant-Zucchini Melange
1 medium eggplant
3 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced and sauted

Peel the eggplant and cut in 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle with li/2 teaspoons salt and let stand 30 minutes. Drain well and dry. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet; brown the eggplant cubes on all sides. Remove and keep warm.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet; saut the zucchini 10 minutes, or until tender. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Add to the eggplant.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet; saut the onion 3 minutes. Mix in the garlic, bread crumbs, parsley and remaining salt. Cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in the mushrooms, then spread over the eggplant and zucchini. Serves 6-8.

Fennel and Chard au Gratin
1 1/2 pounds chard
6 bulbs fennel
4 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
2 cups medium white sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons butter

Wash the chard thoroughly, cut away the stalks and tear the leaves coarsely. Trim the fennel of the stalks and leaves; cut the bulbs in 1-inch pieces. Cook the chard and fennel in boiling salted water 10 minutes. Drain well.

Sprinkle half the bread crumbs on the bottom of a buttered casserole. Spread the drained vegetables over them; cover with the white sauce. Sprinkle top with a mixture of the Parmesan and Swiss cheese and remaining bread crumbs. Dot with the butter.

Bake in a 350 oven 20 minutes, or until browned. Serves 4-6.

Leeks and Tomato Sauce
18 leeks
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
? teaspoon basil

Trim the leeks, cutting away the roots and most of the green part. Wash very carefully to remove all the earth. Cut in 1-inch lengths.

Heat the oil in a skillet; saut the onion 10 minutes. Mix in the carrots, tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil; cook over low heat 5 minutes. Add the leeks; cook over low heat 20 minutes, or until leeks are tender. Serves 4-6.

Mushrooms and Artichookes
4 tablespoons butter
2 packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup chicken broth

Melt the butter in a skillet; saut the artichoke hearts 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms; saut 2 minutes. Season with the salt, pepper and thyme; add the sherry and broth. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Okra and Corn
1 pound okra, 1 package frozen, thawed
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3/4 cup beef broth or water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut the okra in 1/2-inch pieces. Melt the butter in a skillet; saut the onion 5 minutes. Mix in the okra and corn; cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the broth, salt and pepper; cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes. Serves 3-4.

Peas and Carrots in Cream
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded lettuce
6 scallions (green onions), sliced
2 packages frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1 package frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt the butter in a deep skillet. Spread the lettuce and scallions on the bottom and add the peas and carrots, peas, water, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes, shaking the pan frequently. Mix in the cream; cook 2 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Green Pepper and Mushroom Saut
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onions
3 green peppers, cut in thin rings
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano

Heat the oil in a skillet; saut the onions 5 minutes. Add the green peppers; saut 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix in the mushrooms, salt, pepper and oregano; cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Serves 4-6.

Squash and Tomatoes
2 pounds small yellow squash
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon minced parsley
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Scrape the squash and cut into 1-inch cubes. Heat the oil in a skillet; brown the onion in it. Add the tomatoes, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat 5 minutes. Add the squash; cover and cook over low heat 30 minutes. Shake the skillet frequently. Sprinkle with parsley and the cheese. Serves 4-6.

Succotash
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups cooked (firm) lima beans
3 cups corn kernels, fresh or canned
2 teaspoons grated onion
1/2 cup light cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan; cook over low heat 15 minutes. Serves 6-8.

NOTE: Succotash is available frozen; use 2 packages. Cook half as long as package directs, then drain and add all the other ingredients listed. Cook 15 minutes.

Mixed Chinese Vegetables
1 pound Chinese celery cabbage
1/2 pound bean sprouts, fresh or canned
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 bamboo shoots, sliced
1/2 pound snow peas, or 1 package frozen
6 water chestnuts, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Ac'cent
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water

Wash the celery cabbage and slice thin, diagonally. (If not available, use celery or cabbage.) Wash the fresh sprouts, or drain the canned ones.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the celery cabbage, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, snow peas, water chestnuts, salt, Accent and sugar. Cook over high heat 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the water; cover and cook 3 minutes. The vegetables should be crisp.