Vegetable Vexation?
I'm here to defend my vegetables, because one day I watched a video that popped up on Facebook. The topic was: "Why don't the vegetables you prepare at home taste as good as vegetables from a restaurant?"
Huh? I was perplexed. I have always encountered the exact opposite. Well, with rare exceptions. The vegetables from restaurants are usually sub par -- overcooked, treated as an afterthought, etc. Unless you are dining at a "high end" restaurant or an independent "farm to table" type of establishment, that's just the way it is - (and sometimes those are questionable as well, because paying more money does not necessarily equal good food).
Anyway, this guy reveals the "big secret." Get ready....it's...BUTTER! Restaurants use more BUTTER! Vegetables are practically swimming in it. That's why it tastes better, according to the dude.
Well, that's just ridiculous. In the first place, most restaurants don't cook vegetables to order. They either blanch & then "refresh" them per order by sautéing, or giving them a quick dip in boiling water, or they simply hold them "as is" on a steam table (and hopefully they adhere to the time limit and change them out before they turn to mush if they aren't being consumed in a timely manner). There are some restaurants that used canned veggies as well.
Not that there is anything wrong with cooking ahead of time & "refreshing," or using a steam table. These are lifesavers for busy restaurants, and if they keep up with them, then no problemo. BUT...the veggies prepared this way are in no way superior to veggies you can prepare at home. Quite the opposite.
So I have to call BS on that dude. I wish I could remember his name but it escapes me. Maybe he just has trouble with vegetables himself, so he assumes that it is a problem for everyone else too. No. No. No. Not at all. And you DO NOT need a pound of butter to make veggies taste good. Some don't need any at all. The simplest preparation yields the best flavor for fresh vegetables. For frozen or canned, a little more "decoration" might be necessary. 😄
As an example, see the veggies below. Fresh spinach, green beans, and Brussel's Sprouts. (There were also fresh potatoes with this meal, just peeking out up there on top.) All of these were from Costco. The green beans, unfortunately, were a mixed bag, as you can see. Different shades of green. Some of the beans were not as fresh as the others. You don't see that when you pick them fresh from your own garden, but this was earlier in the year before Spring, so Costco filled the veggie bill.
Fresh spinach: Use a large frying pan, medium heat. Add 1-2 tsps. of light oil (avocado or extra virgin olive oil). Spread the oil around so it coats the bottom of the pan. Add 1/3 of the spinach, let it wilt a bit. Repeat 2 more times. Make a small well in the center & add one clove of minced garlic (optional). Stir the garlic a bit & let it cook for 1 or 2 minutes, then mix it into the spinach. Add S&P to your taste.
This is a short-cut method & it is very tasty. The moisture in the spinach will steam it. No need to add extra water or boil it first before sautéing. This was one of the giant containers from Costco. 16 oz., if I recall correctly. So the recipe fits for that, but it doesn't need much adjusting if you have a smaller amount. Of course, with spinach, you want to have as much as possible since it shrinks so much.
Fresh green beans: Bring salted water to a boil & add green beans. Cook to your specifications. I like mine al dente. That part is up to the cook. Just fish one out for a test after 8-10 minutes.
Brussel's Sprouts: Nice big bags of these at Costco, already removed from the stalk. Most of the time rinsing is all you need to do, but sometimes the bottoms need to be trimmed off a little. If they are pretty big, cut them in halves or quarters. Then place in a stainless steel bowl, drizzle with olive or avocado oil, toss in some S&P, then mix until they are coated. Roast in the oven until tender, checking them a couple of times and stirring (actually, I usually flip each one with tongs). They are spectacular with a little caramelization. I could eat the whole bag.
The thing to remember with these is not to crowd them or you will have steamed Brussel's instead of roasted. I usually roast at 350 for 15-20 minutes. You can go higher if you are in a hurry, just keep an eye on them.
Taters: For waxy, thin-skinned potatoes (red or yellow), no need to peel. Scrub well & place in a saucepan. Water to cover, add salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down to medium & cook 8-10 minutes. Test with a knife, it's the best way. Then drain, add a couple of pats of butter & some black pepper, and mix. You don't need a pound to get good flavor. Sometimes I add just one pat of butter & then drizzle a little olive oil in before tossing. Yum to the max!
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