Here is my favorite vegetable sauté, the basis for what I add to pasta primavera or just by themselves. If adding to pasta primavera, I tend not to brown the squash, onions and mushrooms so much as in the photo.

Yield

6 servings

Ingredients

	1 tbsp	olive oil
	2 tbsp	butter or more olive oil
	1 medium	red onion, sliced into long thick slices
	¼ lb	button mushrooms, sliced
	finger	white wine
	1 large	yellow or crook-neck squash, diced
	2 small	zucchini squash, diced
	—	sea or kosher salt to taste
	—	pepper

Optional ingredients...

	—	sliced bell or other peppers, any color (optional)
	—	green onion coins
	—	fresh garlic, minced
	2 oz.	crumbled bacon (optional)
	1 small	tomato, sliced into wedges

Preparation

1. Perform the mise en place of all ingredients.

2. Put 1 tbsp of oil into a medium hot skillet followed by the onion and sauté for 2 minutes tossing often.

3. Add another tablespoon of oil or butter and the mushrooms. Brown slightly, then add the wine. Simmer until alcohol evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Reserve in a separate bowl. If you find the onions over-cooked at this point, then reserve the first and cook the mushrooms separately, stir the onions in then reserve.

4. Add remaining oil or butter to skillet followed by all the squash. Sauté until brown on edges. Optionally add in peppers after squash is cooked.

5. Pour in onions and mushrooms and stir carefully for 30 seconds to rewarm them. Then add any other, optional ingredients, season and toss before serving piping hot. (Do not leave optional ingredients to “cook in.”)