The 'Melting' Technique That Upgrades Pretty Much Any Vegetable

Vegetables are often relegated as a simple side dish or incorporated as one of many components in a main dish. While these are tasty ways to make "eating the rainbow" more enjoyable, there's one technique that gives your vegetables what we consider "main character energy": melting. And no, we don't mean using heat to miraculously turn them from solid form into liquid. Instead, we bring you a delicious way to transform almost any vegetable from something boring into one that shines as the star of the plate. The result is a serving of veggies that have a satisfyingly browned and crispy exterior with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior, thanks to the combination of two cooking techniques: searing and braising, the same two steps needed for a sweet potato cooking method you've been overlooking.

Start by searing your vegetables until they develop a nice char. Searing differs from sautéing and pan-frying in a number of ways, including how the high heat of the melting method adds a bold, roasted flavor to the vegetables. Then, braise your charred veggies in an aromatic broth so the insides become velvety and succulent, soaking up all the flavors of the braising liquid. 

Melting your vegetables works wonders even with the likes of cabbage, which unfairly gets a bad rap because of its notable smell. But with the braising step, you breathe fresh life into, otherwise boring, cabbage-based dishes. If you have picky eaters who struggle to get their veg on, play around with melted vegetables, and, chances are, they may begin to crave more vegetable-forward dishes.

Vegetables bring something special to the table. By searing and braising them, you give them some extra help where they reach greater heights. Depending on the vegetable, specific flavors work better to complement or contrast the natural sweetness that is drawn out when the veggies are roasted. The braising mixture is one key component where you can control the combination of tastes to pair with your chosen vegetable. 

Take beets, for example. They're known for their earthy sweetness, which, when paired with a sweet and tangy dressing like maple and sherry vinegar glaze, creates a stunning, eye-catching dish, especially if you use a medley of colored beets. For a savory contrast to the enhanced sweetness of roasted beets, an herbaceous balsamic and rosemary broth adds a layer of complexity and depth.

Zucchini is also a great canvas for melting with something as simple as vegetable broth, with garlic and lemon juice, for a delicate flavor. Alternatively, for a more sophisticated dish, include white wine in the braising broth and finish the dish with chopped capers or olives for a briny pop. 

For French onion soup fans, melting onions is the perfect side dish. Onions are one of those vegetables that don't need much effort to pack a flavorful punch, especially when roasted. Keep the braising relatively simple with usual components like broth, a fat source, salt, pepper, and some thyme for added flavor. Ultimately, this cooking method makes eating your veggies nothing short of fun and flavorful.