Mark Peel’s Easy Vegetable Side Dishes

With great ingredients and proper technique, humble vegetables like potatoes and carrots are transformed into delicious family meal side dishes. Below are four easy methods, plus eight F&W recipes that use these classic vegetables (right).

Broccoli Rabe

Blanch broccoli rabe for one minute, cool it down and dry well. Sear it in a hot cast-iron skillet and toss with a chile sauce, like Sriracha.

Carrots

Slice carrots on the diagonal into chunks and roast until tender, then sprinkle with fennel pollen or fennel fronds.

Potatoes

Roast whole 4-ounce potatoes until the skin is crisp and the flesh is soft; top them with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Radicchio

Brush radicchio and halved Belgian endives with olive oil and grill until slightly charred. Core and chop them, then toss with extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar and arugula.

More Fast Side Dishes, Vegetables and Salads:

Quick Side Dishes

Favorite Vegetable Dishes

Salads

Published November 2009