4 Sumptuous Vegetable Side Dishes

Unforgettable veggies

You can easily transform Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and turnips into unforgettable side dishes with easy recipes from the new cookbook Brassicas, by Laura B. Russell. From broccolini with winey mushrooms to cauliflower with salsa verde, we’ve got a veggie side to match almost any entree.

1.  Roasted Broccolini with Winey Mushrooms

Calories: 241

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds broccolini (2 large bunches), ends trimmed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
• 8 ounces cremini or other mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Grated Parmesan, for serving, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. On a baking sheet, drizzle broccolini with 2 Tbsp. oil; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer. Roast, turning once with tongs, until crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. If stems are not uniform in size, remove thinner ones to a platter as they are done. (Broccolini can be cooked several hours in advance and kept at room temperature.)

2. In a large, deep frying pan, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high, add mushrooms and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. (Mushrooms will release liquid before reabsorbing it and browning.) Add wine; cook until pan is dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in pepper.

3. Spoon mushrooms over broccolini. Scatter some Parmesan over dish, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature

Brassi-what? Brassicas, also known as crucifers, are nutrient-rich plants in the mustard family. They include cabbage, broccoli, radishes, kale and bok choy.

2.  Moroccan Turnip and Chickpea Braise

Calories: 207

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 14- to 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• Cooked rice or couscous, optional

Preparation

In a large, deep saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, turnips, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper and stir well. Add chickpeas and broth. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Decrease heat to low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in black pepper and cilantro. Serve hot over rice or couscous, if desired.

Use it all: Turnips came with greens attached? Don’t toss ‘em. Chop and sauté in olive oil with garlic, salt and pepper.

3.  Charred Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Fig Glaze

Calories: 310

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 to 4 oz. pancetta
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large) through stem end (about 6 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fig jam
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In a large frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a small bowl. Raise heat to medium-high and add remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Add Brussels sprouts, keeping them in a single layer as much as possible. (Having a few extra sprouts, as shown here, is fine, but if they are mounded in a pile, they will not brown or cook evenly. If necessary, use a larger pan, cook them in 2 batches or pull out extra for another use.) Stir in salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until Brussels sprouts are tender and well browned, even charred in spots, about 10 minutes. If sprouts brown too quickly, lower heat to medium.

2. Add fig jam and 1 Tbsp. water; stir until jam melts and coats Brussels sprouts. Add pancetta and pepper and stir to combine. Taste and add additional salt or pepper if needed. Serve warm.

Change it up: For a sweet-salty version, add a drizzle (1 tsp. or less) of aged balsamic vinegar at the end. Another swap: bacon instead of pancetta.

4.  Cauliflower with Salsa Verde

Calories: 246

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower, cored and cut into bite-size florets (about 5 cups)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 Cerignola or other large green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. On a baking sheet, drizzle cauliflower with 2 Tbsp. oil; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer. Roast, stirring once or twice, until golden brown and tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Taste a floret for doneness; larger florets may take slightly longer to cook.

2. Make salsa verde: In a small bowl, stir parsley, chives, capers, mustard, lemon zest, pepper and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt until well mixed. Stir in remaining 4 Tbsp. oil and olives. (The salsa verde can be made up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.)

3. Transfer cauliflower to a platter and drizzle with salsa verde. Serve hot or at room temperature

Look for orange or purple cauliflower. Both are rich in antioxidants (and pretty!).