Vegetables - Alan's Cookbook

Mixed Vegetables
It’s easy to forget the combination of potatoes, carrots and
broccoli because it’s so clichéd. But cliches are generally founded
upon truths, and this combination is delicious by itself, or with
meat or fish as well.
Potatoes
Carrots
Broccoli
Salt and pepper
Use small red potatoes if you can; these are the
best for plain eating. Carrots and broccoli should
be as fresh as you can get them. Vegetables that
have been in the fridge for a week tend to taste
like it. Shop accordingly.
Bring a large kettle of water to the boil.
Peel the carrots and cut into bite sized pieces. Cut
the potatoes into similarly sized pieces. I prefer
mine with the skin on.
Put carrots and potatoes into boiling water, lightly
salted, and cover.
Cut the broccoli into attractive small pieces. Add
it to the kettle about 10 minutes after the
potatoes and carrots go in.
Remove the vegetables when all are tender,
which will be well before the broccoli turns grey.
You may want to run cold water over them
briefly, to stop them from continuing to cook in
their own heat. It’s perfectly okay to serve them
at room temperature, but if you prefer you can
rewarm them a bit in the microwave.
Have salt and pepper handy at the table.
Serves 3-4 per lb. veggies
Cooking time: 30 minutes
An alternative—and I think better—way to do
things is to steam the broccoli separately. Plunge
it into cold water to stop the cooking process as
soon as it gets al dente. You can worry less about
the potatoes and carrots this way too, as they are
far more forgiving. Combine them all, then, when
serving.
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