August 4, 2024

There are few things as good as freshly harvested root vegetables. Inspired by something my mom used to make, I’m tossing what was freshly available in a creamy bacon and dill béchamel. Is it a bit over indulgent for these sweet, tender vegetables!?!? Probably. Try it and you will understand. Perfect balance of silky veggies at their prime and the creamy, baconey, dilly cream sauce.

Serve this with a leafy green salad and whatever grilled protein your heart desires.

New potatoes, baby carrots and beet greens in a bacon dill béchamel.

Serves 4 as a side to anything off the grill!

3-4 new potatoes/person - cooked to tender and quartered

3 cups rough chopped clean beets greens (or whatever you get off the beets you bought)
1 1/2 cups carrots

Above vegetables blanched in salted water until tender crisp and refreshed in ice water

1 T oil
1/2 cup+ diced side bacon
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T minced shallots
1-2 T flour (Enough to absorb the fat in the pan).
1+ cup milk. Enough to get the cream sauce to the desired consistency
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tsp kosher salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice

Once your veggies have been blanched and refreshed and potatoes cooked and quartered, you can make your cream sauce.
Add a little oil to a large skillet along with the diced bacon. Cook over medium heat until crispy and rendered. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Remove some of the bacon fat reserving 1 T to in the pan. Add the diced shallot and garlic to the pan and cook briefly until tip tender and aromatic. Add a little flour at a time to absorb the fat in the pan. Cook over low heat while stirring for 2 minutes. Whisk in 1/2 cup of milk at a time. Whisk and bring to a boil until the sauce is the desired consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon but not be overly thick. Add lemon juice and season well to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
Add your blanched veggies and potatoes to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Add back crispy bacon and fresh chopped dill. Serve!!