I developed this recipe originally as a vegetable main dish for my book The Fresh and Green Table. (It’s terrific on rice or other grains.) But since then I’ve discovered that this makes an elegant vegetable side dish for either turkey or a holiday roast. And it can travel! I’ve brought it to holiday gatherings at other people’s homes after doing most of the prep and cooking at home. It can be finished on the stovetop in a very short amount of time.* (See below for instructions.)

The prep for this dish isn’t hard, but it also isn’t quick. You can do a lot of the chopping ahead if you like — just cover the veg and pop them in the fridge. Then, the cooking: I’m asking you to cook each of the three vegetables separately (in the same pot, of course!). Again, not hard, but it does take a little time. The reason for this is that the vegetables maintain their integrity that way and don’t turn to mush; when everything comes together at the end it’s a lovely dish. The orange-lemon-balsamic-Dijon sauce with tarragon (or another herb if you prefer) is a winner, and stirring in cold butter at the end gives the sauce a silky texture.

A note on making a smaller or alpha-gal-friendly variation: I recently remade this recipe doing a couple different things. First, I cooked a half batch (in a smaller Dutch oven), and that worked fine. Secondly, when sautéing, I used all olive oil instead of butter and olive oil. Lastly, after adding the sauce at the end – but before adding the cold butter – I removed a serving for myself (since I can’t currently eat butter because of alpha-gal) and stirred the butter into the rest for my husband. I would say that if you can use the butter at every step it is called for, please do, particularly when sautéing, as butter gives off some steam as it melts and promotes even cooking. But if you have to leave it out, you will still have a nice dish.

A note on cipollini onions: I usually find these flat, saucer-like onions at Morning Glory Farm, but I've seen them in groceries, too. There are both yellow and red ones. They vary in size; you will only have to quarter little ones, but bigger ones will need to be cut into several wedges. You could substitute small yellow or red onions or shallots, but cipollini have a lovely sweetness and the curvy wedges add a fun character to the ragout.

* A note on making ahead: To make this to bring to a gathering, do all the steps up through #5. Cool the vegetables (still in the pot) and cover. Put in fridge if holding for more than an hour. Transport the vegetables right in the cooking pot (with the lid on), putting the sauce mixture, the butter cubes, and the herbs each in separate containers to take with you. When time to serve, reheat the covered veggies over low to medium-low heat just until warmed through. (Add a touch of water if necessary.) Do not reheat so long that they begin to cook again! When hot, resume with step 6, adding the sauce, stirring, adding in the cold butter and finishing with the tarragon or other herb.

Serves 6

• 3 tablespoons orange or tangerine juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 tablespoons cut into 6 pieces and kept chilled in the refrigerator)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more if needed
• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
• 1 1/2 inches long and about 3/8 to 1/2-inch wide and thick
• 8 ounces cippolini onions, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch wide wedges through the stem end (imagine slicing a pizza)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 4 ounces frozen peas (about 3/4 cup), thawed
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon, more to taste
• Sliced fresh chives for garnish (optional)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts (optional)

1. In a small bowl, combine the orange or tangerine juice, the Dijon, the lemon zest, and the balsamic. Set aside near the stove.

2. In a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven or other deep, wide pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat. When the butter has melted, add the Brussels sprouts and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until the sprouts are all browned and tender (but still somewhat firm—they will continue to cook a bit off the heat), about 10 to 14 minutes. If they are browning too fast, lower the heat a bit. Be sure to return the lid after stirring; it retains moisture for steaming the veg. Transfer the sprouts to a plate and take the pan off the heat for a moment.

3. Return the pan to medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the carrots and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring frequently but gently, until the carrots are lightly browned and firm-tender, about 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the carrots to the plate of Brussels sprouts. You will have some browning on the bottom of the pan.

4. Lower the heat just a bit and add 1 tablespoon oil, the onions, and a big pinch of salt to the pan. Cook, covered, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned and tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover, add the minced garlic to the pan, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

5. Add the carrots and Brussels sprouts back to the pan, along with the peas. Stir gently. (If working ahead, stop here.*)

6. Add the sauce mixture. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, just until the liquid has been mostly absorbed by the vegetables (this will happen quickly). Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cold butter until just melted and creamy. Stir in the chopped tarragon or other herb

7. Serve right away, garnished with the chives and hazelnuts (if using).