THIRTEEN : POACHED BABY VEGETABLES WITH CAPER MAYONNAISE

PLENTY

AUGUST 21 2012

THIRTEEN : POACHED BABY VEGETABLES WITH CAPER MAYONNAISE

It's one billion degrees out today and I've decided I have to, I just HAVE TO, poach some baby veggies for dinner tonight. Why exactly, I'm not sure. But it's been decided so that's what I'm gonna do. Luckily, our BBQ also has a burner so I can do the hot work outside instead of steaming up the already steamy house. Tonight's baby veg includes haricot verts, mini zucchini, tiny turnips, itsy radishes and teeny carrots. All from the garden except the verts... yessssss!

baby carrots from the garden

They are to be poached in an aromatic mix of white wine, lemon juice and olive oil, which I bring to a boil on the back patio. I'm very unsure about timing, so I just start throwing the veg into the mix and hope they all turn out "cooked but still crunchy".

poaching the veggies

The veg are all done and I think cooked okay, the steak is off the grill and it's time to eat. Oh, damn, forgot about the damn caper mayo. I'll just skip it... NO! Get into that kitchen and make that damn mayo!! At least it's not too difficult, but I blend it and blend it and it never quite reaches that mayo consistency. Maybe because I used whole grain dijon? Oh well.

They turn out pretty darn tasty. Most of them are cooked well and the poaching liquid is light and fragrant. But now I'm supposed to slather them with mayo. No thank you! It isn't the worst thing ever, but definitely not my cup of tea.

I think this dish would have been more successful if I had poached each type of veg separately until perfectly cooked instead of packing everything into the pot together. Too hard to control that way. Next time...