Sidekicks

My first maternity helper was the local butcher’s daughter.  (In the amazingly caring Netherlands, families with newborns receive postnatal baby-and-family care at home for a good start. ) Besides coaching me on the ins-and-outs of breastfeeding, ensuring that I got enough rest and making tea for guests who came to admire the new addition to our family, she tended to the evening meal. When we would ask ‘what’s for dinner?’, she would answer, ‘broccoli’ or ‘spinach’ or another vegetable. I found it curious; she was the butcher’s daughter yet didn’t refer to what we, at least in the 80’s, considered to be the main part of the  meal: MEAT.

Times change, vested interests change, traditions change, albeit that last, slowly.

If the butcher’s daughter in the 80’s was focussing on vegetables as the highlight of the meal, who am I to argue with her?

Green veggies and salads are a staple in our home, as a main or a side and this foolproof and attractive dish is always handy. It is a make-ahead and served at room temperature.

Basically, all one does is blanch lovely dark green (spring) vegetables, separately: think bimi, mange-touts, young snap peas, green asparagus tips, haricots verts.

Stop further cooking after blanching by rinsing under cold water, drain well or wrap carefully in a tea towel to get rid of the extra moisture and toss gently with a simple dressing. I use a nut oil (walnut or hazelnut) and white balsamico

or sherry vinegar, plus a touch of French mustard and honey. Lovely additions are thin strips of orange peel (without the white part!); in that case you could squeeze a bit of the orange into the dressing and/or chopped hazelnuts, à la Ottolenghi. I have at times even added a handful of arugula (rocket lettuce) just before serving, to make it more salad-like.

Leftovers I bring to work the next day; with the addition of crumbled fetà cheese I can enjoy a lovely and satisfying lunch.

The greens can ride shotgun….or take the driver’s seat. Up to you. Happy Sunday!