Spring in a Bowl

We have had some beautiful weather in the Boston area lately and I love it.  I hate the winters.  By the beginning of December I am already done with the cold and eagerly anticipating the warm, sunny days that are coming.  I dream about the birds chirping, the trees budding, and the little flowers that just start to poke through the soil.  And then I'm slapped right in the face with an arctic wind and it throws me right back into the dark dreariness that is a New England winter. 

But when that first warm day comes, I am in bliss.  And then when we get several, I just want to run around outside with Maddux or sit on my deck with a book and soak up the sun.  This past Sunday was just one of those days.  M and I needed to do the food shopping and we always try to plan out our dinners for the week.  It just makes it so much easier when you get home from a long day at work to know what you will be cooking.   Since the weather was nice, we wanted something springy.  M found a recipe for a summer squash and carrot side dish.  Now carrots could be considered a winter vegetable but when paired with summer squash, it looks like spring in a bowl.  The colors of yellow and orange with a burst of green from the fresh herbs just looks so light and fresh.  And my friends, it did not disappoint.  It was a tasty dish (even though carrots aren't my favorite) and would go with virtually any meal.  We served this dish with cod cooked with lemon, butter, and dill along with some wild rice.  I also mentioned to M that it would also make a nice cold vegetable salad type dish as well if you wanted to bring it to a picnic or a cook out.

Summer Squash and Carrots with Dill and Parsley
Adapted from 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast by Emeril Lagasse

The original recipe called for tarragon as the herb in this dish.  I am not particularly fond of tarragon so M and I decided on dill and parsley instead.  We were thinking of using thyme but the dill looked so lacey and frilly that we just had to get that.  It was an excellent choice.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
3 medium carrots, diced
3 summer squash, cut into half moons
2 shallots, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
3-4 sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped
a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Once the pan is heated, add the olive oil and butter.  Once the butter has melted, add the carrots.  Cook the carrots for about 5 minutes, just until they are starting to get tender.  Add the summer squash and shallots.  Season with salt and pepper.  Continue cooking for about another 3-5 minutes.  You do not want to overcook the summer squash.  You want it to still have a slight bite to it.

Once the summer squash is cooked to your liking, add the dill and parsley.  Stir it all to combine and cook for about another minute.  Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.