Bouquetière (Vegetables served in a bunch)

A bouquetière (boke-a-tare) is a garnish of mixed fresh vegetables, in season. You can use carrots, turnips, pearl onions, zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, peas, or whatever suits your fancy. The mix of vegetables you choose should blend well together.

Recipe adapted from Link

20 pieces carrots, tournéed, medium size
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
20 pieces turnips, tournéed, medium size
4 tablespoons curly parsley, finely chopped
1 handful sea salt
12 tablespoons green beans, trimmed
1 teaspoon shallots, finely chopped
20 pieces potatoes, tournéed, medium size (cover completely with water if cutting ahead of time) 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
3tablespoons clarified butter, freshly made

To clarify butter, use unsalted butter. Slowly warm butter over low heat (but don't boil). As the butter melts, the milk solids rise and the water sinks. When the butter is completely melted, skim the milk solids. Ladle the butter (leaving the water behind) into a separte bowl. You can keep clarified butter in the freezer or refrigerator.To cook the carrots, put them in one sauté pan. Add water up to the top of the carrots, and add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat until liquid is completely evaporated and vegetables are tender. If the vegetables are tender before the liquid is evaporated, remove the vegetables and continue reducing the liquid until it carmelizes.

To cook the turnips in the other pan, add water up to the top of the turnips, and add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat until liquid is completely evaporated and vegetables are tender. If the vegetables are tender before the liquid is evaporated, remove the vegetables and continue reducing the liquid until it carmelizes.When the caramel is a light brown, return the carrots and turnips to the respective pans until each vegetable gets the brightness and light brown color. Season the carrots and turnips individually. Divide 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley among the sauté pans. Remove from heat and set aside.

To cook the green beans, bring a small pan full of water to boil. Add a large handful of sea salt. When the water is boiling, add the green beans and let them cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the green beans are soft, al dente. Plunge them in ice water. To reheat the green beans, melt some butter in a sauté pan, add the green beans, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped shallots and the remaining chopped parsley and sauté for about 1 to 2 more minutes. Season, to taste.

To cook the potatoes, put the potatoes in a small pan. Add water up to the top of the potatoes. Add the sunflower oil and boil the potatoes and oil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the potatoes. In a skillet or a sauté pan, heat the clarified butter over high heat until very hot. Add potatoes and cook until golden brown. Season with salt, to taste. Drain the clarified butter from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons butter (not clarified) and cook again for 3 to 4 more minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

Tasting Notes

This was my favourite vegetable side dish. The sweetness of the carrots and turnips from the caramelization was so tasty. When I started cooking the vegetables, I mixed up the turnips and the potatoes, so the turnips were finished as if they were potatoes in disguise. My mistake! The searing of the potatoes (or in my case the turnips!) is something I'll have to try again since the crunch on the outside and the softness inside were a nice combination. The shallots on the green beans were tasty too. The hardest part was getting all the vegetables served while they were all still hot.

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Running total: $62.21 + $6.89 = $69.10

Butter used so far: 18 tablespoons