Summer Vegetable Bowl

This is what to make in late August when the garden is overflowing and you want one dish that captures all of it. Whole pieces of corn on the cob, slim green beans, baby onions, and chunks of zucchini all simmer together in a Dutch oven flavored with rendered bacon drippings.

The order of operations is the trick. Crisp the bacon first, drain it, then cook the onions and pepper in the fat. That base of smoky drippings flavors everything that follows, so the vegetables taste rich without any added butter or oil.

The harder vegetables (beans, corn, onions) go in first to get a head start. Soft, fast-cooking zucchini and celery join later so they don’t turn to mush.

Lifting the vegetables out with a slotted spoon (rather than dumping everything from the pot) keeps the presentation clean. Pile the cooked vegetables on a platter, scatter the bacon over the top, and tuck fresh tomato wedges around the edges for cool, raw contrast against the warm cooked vegetables.

Pro Tips

• Use tiny pearl or boiling onions, sliced large onions go limp and disappear into the broth.
• Break the corn cobs by hand (twist and snap), a knife will splinter the cob.
• A teaspoon of sugar in the simmer (per the recipe) brings out the natural sweetness of the corn and tomatoes, don’t skip it.
• Salt last, the bacon and reduced broth concentrate the saltiness as the dish cooks.

Variations

• Add a halved garlic bulb to the simmer for sweet, mellow garlic flavor without raw bite.
• Stir in a handful of fresh basil or torn mint just before serving for a bright herbal note.
• Substitute pancetta or guanciale for bacon for a more Italian flavor profile.