It is the time of plenty, so many vegetables, so little time!

I always feel incredibly lucky in the summer when there is so much fresh produce available. The farm stands and farmers markets have so many options, it is easy to get carried away and buy too much! Luckily, because it is so fresh, it does last a lot longer than the veggies we purchase in the middle of winter.

Simple is great, but some combinations are even better

I love eating all of the vegetables straight up as is with just a bit of butter and salt and pepper. But I also love to play around with them and see what combinations make us smile.

Green beans and potatoes together are delicious together. My mom used to make a vegetable summer boil when the green beans came in in massive surplus, and it always included the beans, potatoes, onion, garlic, and her favorite Swiss chard. She would just boil it and serve it up as a boiled dinner with biscuits on the side. The broth was heavenly.

What I found one day

It’s great to let the ingredients tell you what to make! I found lovely green and wax beans this week at a farm stand along with some local shiitake mushrooms and new potatoes. I wanted to wake up the potatoes and green beans a little for this side dish, so I added mushrooms, and one of my favorite flavor combinations: rosemary, lemon, and garlic. A bit of crushed red pepper added just a touch of heat.

I didn’t forget about the Swiss chard!

In case you are wondering, I made this once before adding the Swiss chard as a nod to my mom, and it sort of took over the dish, so I decided not to use it this time around!

This is a hearty side dish, or use as a base for a protein of choice. It’s pretty good with an egg on top. Delicious hot or at room temperature, so it is also great to pack for a picnic!

Use whatever proportion of  beans to potato to mushroom that you like. If you want more potatoes or beans, that’s fine! Leave out the red pepper flakes if you’d rather no heat, and if you want more lemon flavor, squeeze the juice over the top after plating.

Green Beans, Potatoes, and Mushrooms on the Side 

• 1 lb. trimmed green beans
• 1 lb. new red potatoes, small dice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. butter or vegan butter
• 8 ounces shiitake or wild mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Zest of a lemon
• Salt and pepper

Prep the green beans: Trim the stem end and give them a blanch in salted boiling water for two minutes to precook and set the beautiful color. Shock in cold water, drain, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the potatoes, reduce the heat to medium, and let them cook until they start to brown on the first side. Turn and add the onions and mushrooms. Continue to cook until everything starts to color and is tender. Add the paprika, garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, then season with salt and pepper.

Once everything in the pan is just about cooked, add the beans, mixing well, and keep cooking just until they are done to your liking. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Plate and drizzle with a bit more olive oil or a squeeze of lemon juice.

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