SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT (STEW)

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SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT (STEW)

 

1 pound fresh fava beans (they have 2 skins)

1 bunch asparagus

4 ounces snow peas or sugar snap peas

8 small tender chard leaves or a handful of young

spinach

4 ounces leeks or scallions

4 ounces oyster mushrooms or other variety

6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon virgin olive oil

12 3-inch carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Small handful fresh herbs: chervil, savory, basil,

chives, parsley

Salt

Juice of 1 lemon

Pepper

 

 

*Note of you can't find fava beans use thawed lima

beans, don't peel them though.

Slit open the long pods of the fava beans with your

fingers and take out the beans. Drop them in a pan of

boiling water and leave them for 30 seconds; then

scoop them out, and put them in a bowl of cold water

to stop the cooking. Pop off the outer skins, and set

the peeled beans aside.

 

Snap off the tough ends of asparagus; then cut off the

tips, leaving them 2 to 3 inches long. If you wish to

use more asparagus in the stew, use the middle stems

and cut them into small rounds or long diagonal

pieces. Trim the peas on both ends and pull off the

strings. If young chard is used, cut the stems into

pieces about 1/2 inch wide, and separately shred the

leaves into ribbons also 1/2 inch wide. If using

sorrel or spinach, cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Slice the

leeks or scallions in half, lengthwise, then into

pieces about 2 inches long. Separate the oyster

mushrooms from one another.

To make the ragout use a wide saute pan or skillet

with straight 2-inch sides. Heat 2 tablespoons of the

butter with the oil. Add the leeks or scallions and

saute briskly for about 30 seconds. Next add the

mushrooms, carrots, chard stems, garlic, a few large

pinches of herbs and some salt. Squeeze about a

tablespoon of lemon juice over all and add a cup of

hot water. Give the pan a shake, and cover; then lower

the heat and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the

carrots have begun to soften but are not yet fully

cooked. Add the asparagus, peas, greens and fava

beans, cover again, and cook an additional 1 or 2

minutes.

Remove the lid and add the rest of the butter and the

remaining herbs. Cook until the butter has melted into

the liquid, forming a sauce, and the vegetables are as

done as you like them. Taste and season with more

salt, if necessary, and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve the ragout on warmed plates with old-fashioned

toast points or croutons to draw up the juices.

 

 

 

 

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