Long, vibrant strands of summer squash and carrots look so elegant that they can dress up any plate. It's amazing how much more exciting a dish can seem when the ingredients are simply cut in an unexpected way. Colorful yet subtle in flavor, this makes a lovely accompaniment to almost any dish, particularly mild fish such as halibut and cod.
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients


Feel free to experiment with herbs and spices to create a dish with flavors that marry well to your entrée. Any fresh herbs would be wonderful in this side dish, as would a little garlic or shallot.
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and trimmed
  • 1 large zucchini, trimmed
  • 1 large yellow squash, trimmed
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions


Using the fine julienne cutter on a mandoline or food processor, or the coarse holes of a box grater, shred the vegetables lengthwise. Try to keep the pieces as long as possible, turning the vegetables a quarter-turn every other stroke. (Don’t use the middle, seeded part of the squash.) You should end up with about 6 cups of vegetables.

Place a large (12- to 14-inch) sauté pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. When hot, add the butter (don't wait for it to melt) and vegetables at the same time. Season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring now and then, until the vegetables just start to become soft and floppy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately (they get mushy if they sit).

Adapted from Mother's Best (The Taunton Press, 2009), by Lisa Schroeder and Danielle Centoni.

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