Vegetable Garnish Ideas

It is silly to think that garnishes to meat specialties have to be made of rice or potatoes. It is a lot healthier to learn to make them from vegetables such as carrots, peas, cabbage and others. Here are a few tasty ideas for vegetable garnishes.

Carrot Puree

Ingredients: 2 lb carrots, 1/2 cup butter, 7 tbsp flour, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, salt and black pepper to taste.

Preparation: Peel the carrots, cut and boil them in salted water. Drain them and mash. Braise the flour and mashed carrots in some of the butter, gradually adding the milk until the sauce thickens. Add the eggs to complete the puree, then pour on the remaining butter on top.

Fried Leeks

Ingredients: 4.5 lb leeks, 2/5 cup butter, 5 tbsp flour, salt, mustard seeds.

Preparation: Cut the washed leeks into 4″ long pieces. Boil briefly in salted water, take them out, drain and roll in the flour. Braise in the butter until fully ready and serve with some mustard seeds.

Sauteed Vegetables

Ingredients: 1 packet of frozen mixed vegetables, salt and black pepper to taste, 2/5 cup butter, several bunches of parsley.

Preparation: There is no need to thaw the vegetables. In a pot, melt some of the butter and pour in the mixed veggies. Add some salted water and leave the garnish to saute on low heat until all of the vegetables soften and the water evaporates. Add the remaining butter, leave until melted and season with the black pepper to taste and finely chopped parsley.

Cauliflower Meatballs

Ingredients: 1 big head of cauliflower, 9 oz potatoes, 2/3 cup butter, 5 tbsp flour, 1/2 cup yoghurt, 3 eggs, salt, powdered garlic, black pepper to taste, several bunches of parsley.

Preparation: Rip the cauliflower into florets and boil them in salted water. Drain them and chop them even finer in a bowl. Add the boiled and grated potatoes, eggs, dry spices and finely chopped parsley.

If you don't have any parsley you can use dill. Mix everything well and leave it in the fridge for 1 hour. Form meatballs from this mixture, roll them in flour and fry, then pour on a little yoghurt before serving.