This recipe comes from long time friends of my in-laws, Al and Virginia Rago. Al was an amazing cook, always bringing the best dishes to our family pot lucks. And he wasn’t afraid to push the envelope and try new things. He spatchcocked a turkey one Thanksgiving and butterflied it open on top of the stuffing, which I am seriously considering trying this year. This particular recipe I tried for the first time at an Easter lunch and it was made by his daughter in law, Jana, who let me in on the most important point which is not overcooking the vegetables! Virginia passed the recipe my way and I have altered it slightly to include an ice bath for the carrots and green beans to make sure they remain crisp-tender, the way Al would want them.
This is not a complicated dish, but it is time consuming, which is why it generally only makes an appearance on holidays around here. It is worth the effort, though, as it is truly a showstopper with those colorful veggies piled high! Plus it is best made a day ahead, and I gravitate toward anything that doesn’t have to be done at the last minute whether I am hosting or headed to a family gathering.
The recipe is pretty straight forward, most of the prep is in cutting everything equally sized and getting the carrots and green beans cooked to perfection. For me an ice bath is key here as it stops the cooking process immediately. I also recommend having a set of flour sack kitchen towels on hand that are used only for food prep. I use mine all the time for drying lettuce, etc, and it’s really cut down on the number of paper towels I buy.
Dill seed is a key ingredient in the marinade and it can be hard to find. We are lucky to have a great market in Sonoma county (although sadly not in Petaluma yet) that carries Dill seed, but you can order it online if your local market doesn’t have it in stock.
The dressing is super good and I’ve used it to top grilled salmon as well as these veggies. I love this little shaker container which locks up tight for travel and pours perfectly. A measuring cup would also work well (although not for the travel part), but do make sure you transfer it from the bowl you whisk it up in to a something with a spout so you can drizzle it prettily over the top. Enjoy!
Marinated Vegetables with Mustard Dill Dressing
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp dill seed
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 lbs beets scrubbed and trimmed leaving 1 inch of stem attached
- 2 lbs carrots cut crosswise into 3 sections then quartered lengthwise
- 2 lbs green beans cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
Instructions
- In a small saucepan bring first six ingredients to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Wrap beets tightly in foil and roast in 400° oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender.
- In a large saucepan of boiling water cook carrots until crisp-tender, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to large bowl of ice water until cool. Drain on paper towels or clean dish towel.
- Repeat this method with the green beans, being careful not to overcook either vegetable and to pat dry after the ice water bath. Transfer to a bowl or airtight container.
- Unwrap beets carefully and cool. Slip off the beet skins and cut into wedges, approximately 8 pieces depending on the size of the beets. Transfer to bowl or airtight container.
- Divide marinade between beets and carrots, storing separately in fridge for at least four hours and up to one day ahead. Green beans should be chilled while the beets and carrots are in the marinade.
- In a bowl whisk together the mustard, vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Add olive oil in a steady stream whisking to emulsify. Whisk in the dill and transfer to container with spout so it will be easier to pour.
- When you are ready to serve drain beets and carrots, place green beans in a bowl and toss with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Arrange vegetables on a serving platter and drizzle with remaining dressing.