Spanish Champiñones, Pimientos y Ajo (Mushrooms, Peppers and Garlic)

These garlicky mushrooms and peppers are an easy vegetarian side dish that makes a great accompaniment to eggs or meats, while also being a great filling for sandwiches, wraps, and pitas. Three vegetables, olive oil, and salt are all that you need to make this dish, plus 15 minutes from beginning to end. This is a fairly common dish in Spain and it has many variations with greater or lesser ingredients, though garlic is ever-present. It gives such a nice pungent flavor and aroma to these and all vegetables. Serve as a side dish, or top white rice, potatoes, or even pasta with this delicious mixture. Keep refrigerated for up to three days and eat hot or cold.

As there are very few ingredients in the recipe, try finding the best quality vegetables. There's no masking bad flavors when what you serve is just quickly sautéed fresh vegetables and fungi. When choosing peppers, go for the vegetables with shiny skins, without blemishes or bruises, and that are firm and feel heavy for their size. Choose peppers with green and healthy stems and, if needed, swap the red peppers for green if you can't find good ripe red ones—they are, after all, the same vegetable, and the red one is just a ripe green pepper. Use white or brown mushrooms and pick firm, smooth fungi that look dry and that have no blushing, brown, or mushy spots. For this recipe, baby Bella, white, cremini, or sliced portobello work really well.

Serve this mixture on top of rustic bread as a tapa. Stuff focaccia with brie or Camembert and top with the hot vegetables for a quick vegetarian sandwich. Mix with rice and tempeh for a vegan stir-fry, or serve cold alongside a charcuterie plate with cured meats and cheeses. These champiñones are very versatile and can be part of any meal. Serve with steak strips and make tacos, use with grilled chicken breast, or top steamed fish fillets. These measurements make 2 to 3 servings, but the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Other vegetables can be added for bulk and flavor: broccoli florets, asparagus spears, or perhaps shaved Brussels sprouts. Experiment with herbs like dry thyme, oregano, or rosemary for an earthy touch that balances out the bright pepper flavor.