We call this mixed spring vegetable jardiniere after a word designating an ornamental pot or stand for the display of growing plants. In all the cases, it is a term that indicates spring and new beginnings. A side dish that we prepare in France in order to enjoy spring vegetables when they are packed with new flavors. It’s easy and only requires some of your time.
Since this recipe celebrates the arrival of new spring vegetables on market stalls, some people chose to add more flavors, such as spring onions or fresh fava beans…
The quantities here are given following my usual « jardinière de légumes » (the French way to say, « mixed spring vegetable jardiniere »). Feel free to combine it the way you want, but I recommend that you maintain a certain balance between each ingredient.
For the ones who want to know how to pronounce « jardinière, » follow the link to the audio guide 😉
Mixed spring vegetable jardiniere recipe
| Prep. Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
| 30 minutes | 5 to 20 minutes* | 1 hour |
Ingredients for 4 to 6 people
- 3 cups (350–400 g) carrots peeled and cut into sticks or into slices
- 4 cups (600 g) green beans, stems removed
- 6 cups (800 g) new potatoes, brushed (or peeled if they have a thick peel)
- 4 cups (500–600 g) green peas, frozen or shelled
- 4 tablespoons of coarse salt (1 per pan)
- 4 tbsp of butter
- Salt and pepper from the mill
INSTRUCTIONS
Peel the carrots, brush (or peel) the new potatoes (see Tip), trim the green beans. Wash each vegetable separately under running water and strain.
Bring 4 separate pans of water with 1 tbsp of salt in each. When the water reaches the boil, cook the vegetables separately.
Keep an eye on the cooking process, since green peas and green beans must be cooked but still firm. Carrots and baby potatoes must be tender, without being overcooked.
Drain the vegetables separately in a colander.
Then, combine them all in a large sauté pan, or in a cast-iron casserole. Add the butter. Season to taste. Reheat on a gentle heat.
Serve the mixed spring vegetable jardiniere hot with chicken breasts, grilled red meat, fish or a nice portion of wild rice or pasta. Don’t worry if you have leftovers, since this mixed vegetable dish is even better when reheated the day after…
TIP
New potatoes – also called ‘baby potatoes’ (or pommes de terre nouvelles in French) – have a tender flesh and a very delicate peel that easily removed when brushed. If you see that the peel is soft and delicate, use a vegetable brush and scrub them under running water and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. It the peel is quite thick, rather use a vegetable peeler to remove it.
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Photo credit @Delphinn
