How to Cook Perfect Veggies—Every time!

Vegetables are considered the most important part of a proper meal, so it is a good place to start a lesson. Furthermore, since the vegetarian and vegan diet mainly consists of fruits and vegetables, jumping into preparation of animal proteins might not be a logical place to start; produce is often the main component(s) of a meal for people who prefer a plant-based diet, even if the majority of carnivores see nature's bounty as nothing but requisite side dishes. Besides—veggies are a vital source of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

The good news for carnivores, herbivores and everything in between, is that preparing tasty veggies is easy to do; with the right methods, vegetables can be vaulted into something truly enjoyable—not just nutritious, but also delicious! The first step is to buy (or grow) quality produce. At the risk of appearing dogmatic, I will urge the reader to buy "organic" produce whenever possible. The simple truth is that most farms utilize harmful pesticides in there operation(s). It is not that these food producers are malicious or bent on poisoning the populace, they just want to leverage the pest-killing power of pesticides in order to realize greater yields in their products. For a valuable lesson on organic food, check out my ibook (req. iOS device).

To supplement the produce I buy at the market, I get some organic produce delivered every week, courtesy of "Farm Fresh to You", a service that delivers an assortment of organic fruits and vegetables from reputable farms. Unfortunately, some of the produce that I prepare is not organic because it is not easily sourced from organic farms (or in season) or it is not offered at the grocery stores that I frequent. Chances are, if you like to eat a variety of produce, you will not be able to always get organic; sometimes, the 'pickens' are slim. Blanching is a cornerstone of veggie prep, and, I am of the opinion that it also mitigates or dilutes the harmful chemical residue found on nearly all veggies that are not organic.

Want organic delivered to your door? Every Wednesday morning two of these boxes are outside my door. If you have trouble finding organic...this is the way to go.

You can choose all of your organic produce or you can let them decide based upon the most seasonal veggies. 

*To blanch, means to briefly cook something, in this case vegetables, in boiling water. It is a very simple process, but timing is key:

How to Blanch Vegetables

1. Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil; a lid helps to expedite this process.
2. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, salt the water generously (table salt is fine)
3. Carefully drop your veggies into the salted, boiling water (give it a stir to distribute salt)
4. Cook the veggies until desired doneness (2-4 minutes depending on size of veggie)
5. You want the veggies to be soft, but still al dente and crunchy; with tongs start tasting the veggies after 1.5 minutes; drain when they are just 'under' your desired doneness—they continue to cook out of the water!
6. Carefully drain (use oven mitts) the pot into a colander in the sink.
7. Shake the colander to remove the excess water, then transfer veggies to a mixing bowl large enough to toss or mix the veggies in
8. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the veggies (move your hand around to evenly distribute oil)
9. Using your thumb, pointer and middle fingers, sprinkle some kosher salt (or sea salt) over the veggies; try to evenly distribute by moving your hand around—your best tool.
10. From a pepper mill (get one if you don't have one), grind some fresh pepper all over the veggies; adjust the pepper mill to give you a finer ground (dial on top).
11. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon (not too much) over the veggies.
12. With kitchen tongs, toss (mix) the veggies so that the oil, seasoning and lemon juice are evenly distributed.
13. Transfer to an attractive serving dish/platter or to individual plates for service; serve while veggies are still hot—everyone will love them!

It is better to toss your veggies in a mixing bowl (this one is bigger than image suggests) so there is plenty of room to spread that tastiness around.

Since the carrots are bigger, they went in the water 2 minutes before the slimmer broccolini (my fave); 2 minutes later they were both done! After tossing, place the food in interesting dishes and make it look pretty. You'll never be able to eat at Sizzler again!

**If you want a tastier, deeper flavor—nothing beats sautéed veggies! It requires an extra step to the blanching process. To sauté means to quickly fry food in a shallow pan/skillet with a bit of fat (oil or butter usually) and medium to high heat:

How to Sauté Vegetables

1. Blanch any veggies you want to sauté for two minutes (don't blanch red/bell peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, spinach, onions, tomatoes, leeks and other soft, watery veggies).
2. You are only par cooking them to soften them; for large chunks of carrots or thicker veggies, let them boil for 3 minutes.
3. Transfer veggies to a colander to drain
4. Mince 3-4 garlic cloves (not too finely); it is good to do this before you blanch if you are slower or less experienced with a knife (so it is ready to go).
5. Heat a dry skillet until hot; then add about a tablespoon of any oil (I prefer e.v.o.o, but you can use canola or clarified butter) and carefully swirl it around the pan to evenly coat.
6. Place your veggies into the hot pan and use tongs to ensure that the veggies are in a single layer (or close to it) so that each piece is in contact with the hot pan...give your pan a bit of a shake/shimmy to coat them with oil. 
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. After Step 6, let your veggies sear—do not stir or touch them for at least 1 minute! The goal is to achieve caramelization.
9. With your tongs, start to check for color, when the veggies start to brown (not before!), flip them to brown the other side (give the pan a little shake); let them sear for another minute—remember, color equals flavor (a slight char...don't kill it).
10. Season this side with salt and pepper (careful with the hot oil)
11. When the veggies are nicely colored (not before), sprinkle the minced garlic over the veggies...try not to place it directly into pan.
12. Now, use your tongs (or large spoon) to mix the veggies and garlic together and sauté for 30-60 secs. or until the garlic becomes aromatic and starts to take on some color (do not burn the garlic); In total, it takes 3-5 minutes to sauté veggies. For more richness add a tablespoon or two of (real) butter to the pan after you turn off the heat and toss the veggies (or flip the pan if you know how...but don't waste food ; - ).
13. Transfer the sautéed veggies to an attractive serving dish/platter; squeeze a fresh lemon wedge over the veggies (not from that plastic lemon thing—ever).
14. Use tongs to toss the veggies to evenly coat with the garlic and lemon. Taste it to see if it needs more s & p (always taste your food). Serve while hot. You just made rockstar veggies—as good as any restaurant (or better)! 

Do these look good enough to eat...yup. Notice how I cut the red peppers the same size and shape as these beautiful organic green beans. Don't blanch red/bell peppers; just toss them in the pan right before you add the garlic—it adds a great pop of color!

Tips

• In the restaurant business, nearly all (dense) veggies are blanched in advance and then shocked in a large container of ice water (called an "ice bath"). This stops the cooking process and blanched veggies can be stored or frozen for later use. For service, these blanched veggies are just sautéed or brought up to temperature for each order. Since this is a practical cooking lesson, I omitted the ice bath because your veggies will be served immediately (and you will slightly undercook them because they continue to cook for 30 seconds), and, who wants to deal with tons of ice and shocking their veggies every time they cook?

• Try to cut vegetables to roughly the same size in order to even out cooking time. Got some big chunks of carrot with that skinny broccolini...if so, just place the bigger items into the boiling water 1-2 minutes before the smaller ones and they should be ready at the same time. A huge part of being a great cook is to have great timing!

• The reason salt is vital for blanching is that it maintains the vibrant color of the veggies and imparts a bit of flavor. Keep your food pretty.

• For eating/dining, appearance is very important—we eat with our eyes first! This is one of the reasons professionals also emphasize attractive plating and food presentation. Invest in some nice, colorful serving dishes. How often have you truly enjoyed food that looked terrible?

• Do not overcook vegetables. Ideally, veggies (unless cut small) should still require a knife to eat...you want that nice texture and crunch! If you are replicating the veggies we used to get at our grade school cafeterias, you did not succeed.

• Aside from bacon, ham and a few other things, almost everything you cook needs salt and pepper to 'dial in' the flavor! Despite what some people might say, s & p does not mask flavors, it enhances the natural flavors of the food you are eating! Season in stages; before, during and if needed, after the cooking process—this creates the layers and depth to tasty food.

• Although not difficult, good cooking does take some experience and finesse. After some practice, you will know how long it takes to perfectly blanch broccolini, or carrots, or cauliflower, or brussels sprouts. You will know how to get that great color (caramelization) on your vegetables, and know the magic moment to add garlic your pan.

• And finally, aside from salads, this is really all you have to know about cooking vegetables. There are other ways to cook veggies, but if you master blanching and sautéing, you will be the best veggie cook in your circle—people will notice it...trust me. Veggies will never be boring again!

Every Cook/Kitchen Should Have...

• A pepper mill; freshly ground or cracked pepper is a must. Use the little dial at the top to fine tune the ground. You don't have to buy a fancy one (Target and Walmart has 'em); you can even get a motorized one if you want.

• Kosher or sea salt; fill up a little lidded container so that you can use your fingers when you sprinkle this fancy salt on your food—don't use a shaker for these coarse salts or you risk over-salting your food. Refill your salt container as needed. For blanching or boiling pasta, use regular table salt...not the fancy stuff.

• Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil; e.v.o.o. comes from the first cold press of the olives. A delicious olive oil will taste good by itself (pour a small amount in a teaspoon and taste). There are a lot of e.v.o.o.s out there that do not taste good (Sam's Club/Kirkland brand is nasty). De Cecco is one of the best you can get at a regular market (best pasta brand too).

• At least one pair of long tongs; this will be your 'go-to' cooking utensil. You also need a couple of spatulas, and a large slotted spoon. On a budget—you can get this stuff at the 99 Cent Store for next to nothing!

• You will already have a colander, so I need not mention it (pasta and blanching).

• Stainless steel mixing bowls; these are ideal for tossing vegetables before you serve them, making salads (large bowl), marinades, dry rubs for meats, baking prep, and holding various ingredients while you are cooking—a must for every kitchen!

• Large, stainless steel skillet (not aluminum...gives you Alzheimer's). These are not cheap, but you can find an inexpensive one for $35-50. I use All-Clad, which is the best; they are expensive but look for them on sale at a higher-end Macy's. Brea Mall has a great Macy's for cookware; I bought a $200 All-Clad skillet and lid for $79 during one of their many sales. Quality cookware will last a lifetime!

• A small or medium sized Teflon non-stick skillet for eggs (and only eggs...Teflon is harmful if used a lot)

• Kitchen fire preparedness;  baking soda nearby and a fire extinguisher

• Fun. When you start cooking food that you, your friends and family enjoy, you will want to cook more as you improve your skills and gain confidence. Ever notice how the biggest groupings are in or around the kitchen when you entertain—the kitchen is where it's at!

**Check out the web/YouTube and cable cooking channels for advice, knowledge and inspiration—want to learn how to cook something—it's out there, go get it!