Vegetables on the Side: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking

by Sallie Y. Williams

In Vegetables on the Side, Sallie Y. Williams solves the age-old problem of what to serve with the main course. To round out any meal, she offers basics like steamed broccoli, such regional specialties as New England baked beans, antioxidant-packed recipes for collards, and exotica ranging from stuffed chayote to roasted Jerusalem artichokes. All told, Williams brings together more than 400 recipes, classic and created, for the vegetable-minded. Williams knows that fresh produce is not always an option. So there's advice on preparing frozen, dried (as in the case of mushrooms, peas, and beans), or even sometimes canned vegetables, such as hominy, to present them in their best possible light. She doesn't ignore health concerns either. All the vegetable entries include nutritional highlights, and while this is a vegetable, not a vegetarian, book, it naturally favors meatless fare. Within each vegetable entry, the recipes kick off with directions for steaming, boiling, baking - whatever you need to start cooking. Then you can build on the basics to prepare anything from vegetable pancakes to souffles. For anyone who doesn't know what to serve with the side dish, Williams offers suggestions of entrees to pair with each recipe.

376 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1995

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't use this cookbook much, if at all, until I started doing the Whole30 for one month, which requires protein and lots of fruits and vegetables, mostly vegetables. It has been a godsend! Everything I've made from it has been good so far, particularly the savoy wilted cabbage with pinenuts and blue cheese. (The blue cheese is not accepted on Whole30 but it's a small amount and I decided to use it anyway.). Tonight I made Nutty Sprouts, which is Brussels sprouts with bacon, onions, and pecans.

I tried the Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes first; yummy, but some folks on The Internet said you don't need to peel them (which is in the recipe in this cookbook) and so they turned out gritty. I guess I have to go back to "the internet," which apparently didn't deserve the capital letters.

Asparagus with New Potatoes and Peas seemed Very Healthy (oh, wait, I meant very healthy), but I probably wouldn't get asparagus all potato-ey again, although it was not unpalatable.
Italian-Style Green Beans were good, but, even better, a very picky eater who I was taking meals to really loved them -- WIN!

I have yet to make the beets (Beets with Orange Juice and Zest), but I used an endive recipe from another source.

So: Artichokes, Jerusalem
Asparagus
Beans, green
Beets
Belgian Endive
Brussels Sprouts
and Cabbage, Savoy

Like my pattern? I've only gotten to "C," and this book is a definite keeper.

[Marguerite Hargreaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

An alphabetical and encyclopedic treatment of vegetable dishes. Williams covers all the basics (seasonal availability; how to buy, store and clean; nutrition; tips; cultural variations; cooking methods). Best of all, there are scads of recipes, many of which actually work as meatless main courses. I think the only thing that would improve the book is a separate list of those recipes. I still don't much care for fennel, though.