Légumes à la Grecque uses one of the many traditional techniques that transform French dishes. This recipe is adapted from one of my first cookbook collections, the 1968 Time-Life series Foods of the World, given to me by my aunt. Légumes à la Grecque can be found in "The Cooking of Provencial France" book. Really, some of the oldest books are the best!

The vegetables absorb the layers of flavor created by cooking them in a broth flavored with herbs, garlic, the acid from wine, and lemon juice. This method may have been a way to salvage older vegetables. It could also have been a way to serve vegetables cooked but not piping hot in the heat of summer. Either way, it makes a pretty and flavorful do-ahead side dish. To enjoy the full flavor of the veggies, pull it out of the fridge to come to room temperature before serving.

Most vegetables work beautifully in the dish. Use what I have listed or get creative with other vegetables.

Ingredients:

Broth :                                             

• ½ cup dry white wine 

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• 1 ½ cups chicken stock   

• 6 parsley sprigs

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

• ½ tsp dried thyme 

• 5 peppercorns 

• 1 tsp salt 

Vegetables:

• 12 small white onions, 1 inch in diameter, peeled

• ½ lb. each small zucchini and yellow squash, unpeeled, sliced 1 inch thick

• 2 medium bell peppers, any color, seeded and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips

• ½ llb. whole green string beans, trimmed

• 2 lemons, cut into ¼ inch slices

Directions:

Broth Marinade:

1. For the broth marinade, stir the ingredients together in a 2- to 3-quart  enameled or stainless-steel saucepan, bring to a boil, partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. 

2. Using a fine sieve, strain the marinade ingredients out pressing down hard on the with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the juices before discarding them. Taste the marinade; to be effective, the marinade should be somewhat over seasoned. You should have about 3 cups. 

Vegetables:

1. Don’t overcook the vegetables as they will soften as they cool and marinate. Bring the marinade to a simmer and add the onions; simmer 20-30 minutes or until the onions are just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. With a slotted spoon, remove the onions to a large glass baking dish. 

2. Add the squashes to the simmering marinade and cook slowly uncovered for 4-6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add to the baking dish. Add the green pepper strips and string beans to the marinade and cook them slowly and uncovered for 8-10 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender. Add to the dish. 

3. Cool the marinade completely and then taste and season it if needed. Pour it over the vegetables, making sure that they are all at least partly covered with the liquid. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and let the vegetables marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible-before serving them. 

4. To serve, I like to bring the vegetables to room temperature or close, not ice cold. Lift the vegetables out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a serving platter. Moisten the vegetables with a little marinade and garnish them with lemon slices. 

Note: Any other firm vegetable may be added or substituted for those in the recipe, such as mushrooms, celery hearts, leeks, cucumbers, and artichoke hearts.