Basic Vegetable Ragout Recipes

HEARTY VEGETABLE BEEF RAGU

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until beef is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles, 6-8 minutes; drain., Stir in tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, kale, peas, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until kale is tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir pasta into sauce. If desired, serve with cheese.

8 VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Saute onion, carrot, garlic in vegetable for 5 minutes.
• Stir in celery and mushrooms and saute til soft.
• Add tomatoes, pepper, hot sauce and beans.
• Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer, stirring often, about 20 minutes.
• Add corn and when hot again stir in parsley and serve.

VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy stew pot. Saute the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and green beans for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the bay leaves, thyme and red wine and boil, uncovered for 3 minutes.
• Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the zucchini and mushrooms.
• Combine the sauce ingredients and then stir the sauce into the vegetables.
• Simmer about 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• While the vegetables are stewing, cook the potatoes separately in salted boiling water until they are tender.
• Drain and add them to the ragout a few minutes before serving.

LAMB RAGOUT

Steps:

• Toss lamb with flour in a small bowl. Heat olive oil in a deep, wide skillet or Dutch oven set over high heat. Add lamb, spreading it out to cover the surface of the pan. Don't stir for about 5 minutes, so you can develop a rich brown color on the lamb. Add garlic, stir and cook about 5 minutes more, stirring if it appears the lamb or garlic may burn. Add tomato paste, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove cover and add carrots. Replace the cover ajar so that some of the steam can escape. Simmer 20 minutes more. Season with salt, if needed. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

EASY SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Soak leeks in cold water for 5 minutes; lift out and drain. Repeat until no grit remains on bottom of bowl. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-highheat. Add leeks and salt and sauteuntil leeks are tender, about 2 minutes. Stirin asparagus, then water. Simmer coveredfor 2 minutes. Add snap peas and radishes,cover, and simmer for 2 minutes more.
• Stir in mustard until well combined, then swirl in butter and herbs. Serve immediately.

VEGETABLE RAGOûT

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large nonstick pan. Add onion, pepper, celery, carrots, and beans. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender yet crisp, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, peas, artichokes, garlic, and tarragon and cook 2 minutes longer. Add tomato juice and bring to a simmer. Add spinach and simmer 1 minute longer. Season with salt to taste. Serve over couscous or rice, if desired.

VEGETABLE RAGOûT WITH PARMESAN AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Using vegetable peeler, cut Parmesan into thin shavings. Set aside.
• Squeeze juice from lemons into large pot; add lemons. Fill pot with water. Cut stem and top 1/3 from 1 artichoke. Starting at base, bend leaves back and snap off where they break naturally; continue until all tough outer leaves have been removed. Using small sharp knife, trim outside of base until smooth and no dark green areas remain. Cut artichoke lengthwise into quarters. Cut out choke from quarters. Cut each quarter in half, making 1/2-inch wedges. Place artichoke pieces in lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes. Cover pot and bring to boil. Boil artichokes until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain; set aside. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Cook 28 baby carrots in large pot of boiling water 5 minutes. Drain carrots well. (Carrots can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and mushrooms. Sauté until tomatoes and mushrooms release juices, about 8 minutes. Add artichokes, carrots, baby peas and lima beans. Cook until lima beans and peas are tender and juices thicken slightly, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup butter and stir until melted. Season vegetables to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer ragout to large bowl. Toss with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with Parmesan shavings.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Break off the stem ends of the sugar snap peas, and pull off the strings. Set aside.
• Rinse the asparagus, and snap off the ends where they break naturally. Cut the stalks in thirds. Set aside.
• Squeeze the lemon into a bowl of water large enough to hold the artichokes, and put the squeezed halves in the bowl. Trim the stem ends of the artichokes, and slice about 1/4 inch off the tops. Pull off one or two layers of the outer leaves, slice the artichokes in half lengthwise and drop them into the bowl of acidulated water.
• Place a large, heavy saute pan or skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and half the scallions. Saute until they soften, then add the peas and stir-fry until they begin to turn bright green. Add the asparagus, and continue to stir-fry about 3 minutes, until asparagus turns bright green. Remove vegetables from pan.
• Add another tablespoon of the oil, the remaining scallions and the artichokes. Stir-fry over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the artichokes barely start to brown. Add the chicken stock and thyme, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the artichokes are tender, about 20 minutes. Return the peas and asparagus to the pan, and cook, uncovered, over medium heat until the peas and the artichokes are also tender, about 5 minutes longer. There should be enough liquid in the pan to moisten the vegetables. If not, add a little more stock.
• Stir in the remaining oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, dust with parsley and serve.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Place 3 tablespoons butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. When melted, add carrots, onions, potatoes, fennel and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
• Add vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Add a little more salt, peas, fava beans and asparagus and simmer 5 minutes covered.
• Add remaining butter in bits, then chives and parsley. Check seasoning and serve in shallow soup plates.

ROASTED VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
• In a heavy roasting pan, combine the vegetablesand olive oil and toss to coat. Roast 20 to 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until the vegetables are nicely browned.
• Meanwhile, tie the herbs together with kitchen string. Transfer the pan to the top of the stove. Add the wine, stock, tomatoes, and herbs and cook over high heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the Swiss chard and cook 2 minutes more.
• Season with salt and pepper. To serve, spoon the vegetables and sauce over the polenta.

SUMMER VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, leave for 2 mins, then drain and peel off the skins. Quarter the tomatoes, scoop out the seeds, then chop into small cubes. Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and carrots, then gently fry for 5 mins. Add the tomatoes, thyme, bay and wine. Cook, uncovered, until the wine is reduced, about 5 mins. You can prepare up to this stage several hours ahead.
• Add the peas, onions and artichokes, cover, then simmer for 8-10 mins. Season and serve in 2 large bowls or divide between individual ramekins.