Notes from Stella's Kitchen

To be truthful, for most of our meals we have very simple side dishes.

Normally, these are either rice or potatoes accompanied by a salad such as I’ve described in the “Appetizer and Salad” chapter. I usually fix the rice and potatoes in different ways for variety, but basically these ways are extremely basic preparations.

If I do fix a dish besides potatoes or rice, it’s still one that doesn ‘t take much preparation. Sweet corn is a good example.

Paul and I both love when “Silver Queen” comes into season and I can get up early on a Saturday morning and get a dozen ears at the Hancock County Farmers’ market for that night’s supper.

If you want them to have that fresh “just picked that morning, “ Silver Queen flavor, don ‘t even think about buying them at the super market. Even when you buy them at the farmers’ market, know your vendors. Some are much more reliable as to the freshness of what they sell than others.

For dinner that evening (and it has to be the same day to get the full flavor of the corn), I boil them and serve them with the entree with room temperature butter and salt and ground pepper. We have a big plate for the spent ears and it fills rapidly.

For variation, I sometimes slice the kernels off the cob and fry them in a pan with just butter, salt, pepper and garlic. Serve with French bread, a simple green salad and a tall glass of iced sun tea. This is simplicity itself and it is good.

Fresh green beans front my garden or various squashes are other examples and there are many other fresh vegetables that can be fixed just as quickly and easily.

For example, I steam the green beans till they are slightly tender and serve them with butter, freshly ground pepper and salt. Or, if you don ‘t want to use butter, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice on the vegetables. You will find the fresh lemon juice will sharply enhance their sweet, natural goodness and will markedly cut down on the calories involved.

What could be easier? All make delicious additions to a meal without a great deal of bother. My problem here is that all of these are so easy to fix that it seems superfluous to write them down as recipes for another person to follow.

And yet as easy as they are to fix, they make up a good part of the side dishes we normally have with our meals. As a result, you will find the side dish recipes in this particular chapter are a little sparse. But remember that the ones I have included are good and worth your investigation

Finally, let me make a point here that I have stated before.

I strongly suggest that although the side dishes are an adjunct to the overall flavor of the meal; don’t treat any side dish as an added chore. As with my suggestion for the salad, take the time and care with it as you do with any other part of the meal.

Bon Appetit!