Shopping for Side Dishes

The first step to a great side dish is letting the market tell you when to make it. Whether you shop daily or on the weekends, go with what is in season and looks best that day. In other words, don’t choose a recipe first, then force it to happen when the main ingredient looks past its prime. This book is organized as a handbook, so you can refer to it at the market or when you get home. Better to grab the corn or tomatoes at their absolute peak and make Creamed Corn with Chipotle and Queso Fresco or Heirloom Tomato Panzanella with Burrata than to head out with a must-have vegetable on your shopping list only to discover that its time has passed.