Favorite veggies O dear. I have to vote with both hands full. And that's hard to juggle when typing. Me-thinks I am a bit indecisive or perhaps greedy. I like too many vegetables to narrow it to just three. The all around work horses --
Potatoes, is there any preparation not to like. A favorite is to peel a strip off baby reds, toss in evoo and dijon mustard, snipped rosemary and sage and roast them until they get quite brown, toss again with some roasted or pan sauteed onion and garlic. (I've gotten burnt garlic bits before the potatoes were done, so now i do them separate and combine). Serve them as a side veg or room temp with toothpicks at a party with a blue cheese or horse-radish dip.
Onions I usually use spanish onions as an all purpose onion for cooking. Red onions in salads. Recently I found some walnut sized red ones that are the sweetest ever. Scallion tops, for garnishes mostly, Bermudas grilled on burgers etc. I don't usually buy Vidalias or Walla-wallas as they are over priced here.
Carrots - always in season. I like them pan roasted or crisp steamed and then tossed with butter and sometimes a pinch of brown sugar and the "herb of the day" especially fresh rosemary, or thyme or Ginger to complement whatever else is being served. Real baby carrots, or younger ones with the tops still on from the fresh market, the larger bagged carrots are fine in soups and casseroles and alongside pot roasts and oven roasted chicken.
My favorite favorite veggies --
Garden grown Tomatoes in season, and our season is very short here, Fresh, or just coarse chopped, with its juices tossed with a little olive oil, garlic, chopped basil, parmesan cheese and served with spaghetti. Quick, simple, fast, flavorful. Good enough for guests or family. Serve them sliced with every meal in summer! Right now grape tomatoes seem the most flavorful in the market. I use Whole Canned tomatoes for cooking, sometimes imported Italian, most often just regular ones.
Cabbage. I think this is an under utilized vegetable. I buy small cabbages because a) I'm usually cooking for myself and b) when cooking for friends, smaller portions seem preferential. ( what does this say about my cooking !?!) I make cabbage "smiles", small wedges anchored with toothpicks to hold together, then oven roast or brush with evoo and grill, and the same if put in a pot of chunky vegetable soup the last part of simmering. Remove toothpicks before serving. I also like scalloped cabbage. Coarse chop and crisp steam and combine with a medium white sauce, top with colby or cheddar and some bread crumbs and put in a hot oven until cheese melts. A favorite cabbage salad is cut cabbage ribbons, combine with chopped apple, grapes, orange supremes with a sauce made with lemon juice, mayo, and very lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Green Beans. Whole baby ones I like best. Frozen or fresh. Simply steam and toss with butter and lemon juice and lemon zest. A little cracked pepper.
Honorable mention. Rutabaga. Has a nice light orange color and is naturally sweet. Good in soups, steamed and combine with mash potatoes, or mash solo, cut in chunks and oven roast. Serve raw cut in strips on a veggie platter.
Asparagus. Ok, even I have to set a limit on this. If it's not green beans, asparagus is what's being served.