Spring Vegetable Bundles

Impress your dinner guests with these colorful vegetables bundles. The trick is to get as long of a green stem on the green onions as possible. If you can do that, these are very simple to put together. I'll share my secret to making them easier to tie together at the end of the recipe directions.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 4 -6  green onions (get as long as tops as possible)
• 1  lb  thin asparagus, trimmed
• 1  medium  sweet red pepper, julienned
• 1  medium yellow sweet pepper, julienned
• 2  medium carrots, julienned
• 12  fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 1⁄3 cups white wine or 1  cup chicken broth
• 3  tablespoons butter (no substitutes)

Directions

1. Trim both ends of onions – making sure the green tops are as long as possible – at least 7 to 8 inches long.
2. In a saucepan, bring some water to a boil, add the green onion tops; boil for 1 minute or until softened. Drain and immediately place onion tops in ice water. Drain and pat dry. Chop white portion of onions and set aside. (I always do a few extra onion tops -- just in case any tear as I'm tieing it around the bundles).
3. Divide asparagus, peppers and carrots into 12 bundles. Top each with a thyme sprig. Tie each bundle with a blanched onion top (into a knot).*.
4. In a large skillet, place wine or broth, chopped onion and vegetable bundles. Bring to a boil. Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and liquid is reduced by two-thirds. Carefully remove bundles with a slotted spoon to a serving platter (or individual plates). Add butter to skillet; cook and stir until melted. Spoon over bundles.
5. Note: Use asparagus spears that are ¼ inch in diameter. Larger spears should be cut lengthwise.
6. Note #2: I have also used fresh green beans -- they work great, but the if you substitute them for either of the peppers, the color isn't quite as attractive. But for someone who doesn't like asparagus, that would be a good alternate.
7. *I secure the bundles with a thin rubber band and then tie the onion top around it (then cut away the rubber band). I also don’t place the thyme in the bundle until after I have them tied.