The One Sauce That Makes Eating Vegetables Fun

We all know how important it is to include vegetables in our diet, but it can be hard to find unique ways to cook them that are delicious. Maybe you've gotten tired of your go-to simple roasted veggies or you want to move beyond throwing a few vegetables into a stir fry. If you agree with any of this, then you need to know about the one sauce that makes eating vegetables fun, recommended to us by an expert: Hugo Bolaños, the executive chef at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village.

The sauce in question? A beurre blanc. Bolaños says, "A good beurre blanc strikes the perfect balance between richness and acidity. It's well-balanced and adds a great umami flavor to vegetables. When done right, beurre blanc doesn't overpower — it elevates." If you're unfamiliar, a beurre blanc is a classic French sauce that's made with butter, shallots, white wine and white wine vinegar. It's rich and buttery, as well as a little bit sweet and a little bit tangy.

Hugo Bolaños says: "A beurre blanc is the quintessential French classic white wine butter sauce that goes well with nearly all things. Why? Because 'with enough butter, anything is good,' as Julia Child used to say." If you're new to making the beurre blanc sauce, then you may want to start with whatever veggie preparation you're already familiar with. Maybe you have a sautéed asparagus recipe that you make often (a classic match for beurre blanc). Other veggies that pair well with the sauce include artichoke hearts, zucchini, and green beans. Make the veggie dish as you normally would, then drizzle the sauce over top right before serving. 

If you're already familiar with making beurre blanc, then you may want to play around with variations on the recipe. One popular version is lemon beurre blanc, where lemon juice is used instead of white wine vinegar. You can also add a handful of fresh herbs, or orange zest to the sauce to give it a new spin — just stir those in once it's emulsified. Think beurre blanc with fresh dill atop roasted caramelized carrots, or beurre blanc with orange zest over earthy roasted beets!