Crossroad farm's steamed vegetables

Yield: 1 Batch

Ingredients:

4 c ;Water
8 oz New red-skinned potatoes -- scrubbed
1 lg Cauliflower head; rinsed -- florets & stems separated
1 lg Fresh garlic head -- cloves separated & peeled
1 c Fresh fava beans or
6 Radish-size turnips w/greens
2 Green zucchini; in 1" rounds
2 Yellow zucchini -- cut in 1" rounds
1/2 c Mixed fresh herb leaves* -- loosely packed
6 tb Olive oil

Instructions:

*Combine 2 or 3 of the following herbs: basil thyme marjoram oregano and tarragon. Note: If turnips are larger than radish size cut them in half or quarter them. Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a vegetable steamer over high heat. Place the potatoes in the steamer basket cover and cook until they begin to soften about 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower stems garlic cloves and fava beans; cover and steam until the stems begin to soften about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower florets and steam until they begin to soften about 5 minutes. Then add zucchini and the turnips if you are using them. Cover; steam until zucchini has softened and begun to turn translucent about 8 minutes. While vegetables are steaming coarsely chop the herbs then whisk them together with the olive oil in a large serving bowl. Transfer the steamed vegetables to the bowl toss gently and serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings. Steaming time for vegetables: Potatoes - 15 minutes. Cauliflower florets - 8 minutes. Cauliflower stems - 12 to 18 minutes. Fava beans - 12 to 18 minutes. Small turnips - 8 to 10 minutes. Yellow squash - 8 to 10 minutes. Zucchini - 8 to 10 minutes. Loomis writes that this is "...the most flavorful mix of vegetables I've ever tasted." From Arnold and Bonnie Pearlman/Crossroads Farm near Jonesport ME in _Farm House Cookbook_ by Susan Herrmann Loomis. New York: Workman Publishing Company Inc. 1991. Pp. 253-255. ISBN 0-89480-772-2. Electronic format by Cathy Harned.