Best 5 Spring Vegetable Ragoût Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Spring is in the air, and with it comes an abundance of fresh, vibrant vegetables. This is the perfect time to make a spring vegetable ragoût, a hearty and flavorful stew that showcases the best of the season's produce. Ragoûts are traditionally made with meat, but this vegetarian version is just as satisfying, and it's packed with nutrients.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOûT WITH BROWN BUTTER COUSCOUS



Spring Vegetable Ragoût With Brown Butter Couscous image

The amazingly flavorful couscous here is the result of a trick from the chef Mourad Lahlou, whose San Francisco restaurants, Aziza (currently closed) and Mourad, feature a modernist approach to Moroccan cuisine. Freshly steamed couscous is tossed with sizzling brown butter, lots of chopped preserved lemon and a splash of saffron. It is seriously good with just about anything, especially seasonal vegetable ragoûts. (Saucy braises of lamb, chicken or fish also pair well with it.) The recipe below uses spring vegetables, but you can substitute others throughout the year.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     dinner, grains and rice, vegetables, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups fine quick-cooking couscous
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (3/4 stick)
1 small preserved lemon, rinsed, peel and pulp chopped fine, seeds discarded
1 large pinch of saffron, crumbled into 1/2 cup warm water and left to steep at least 5 minutes
2 cups roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus a few sprigs for garnish (from about 2 bunches)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large Serrano chile, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice (from 1 lime or lemon)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium leek, white and tender green parts, diced (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 pound asparagus, tough ends discarded and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 pound fresh peas in the pod, shucked (1 1/2 cups)
3 pounds fresh fava beans in the pod, shucked and peeled (about 1 cup), optional
10 ounces baby spinach or mizuna greens (about 10 cups)

Steps:

  • In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a rapid boil. Add salt and couscous, stirring as water returns to boil. Turn down heat to a bare simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Dump couscous on a baking sheet or large platter, and spread out. Taste for salt and add more if necessary. Fluff, smash any large clumps and leave to cool, uncovered.
  • Set up a steamer with a fine mesh basket, with water simmering on low heat, for eventual steaming of couscous. About 30 minutes before serving, put couscous in the steamer basket and raise heat to maintain a rapid simmer. Do not cover. (This extra steaming step produces lighter, fluffier couscous.)
  • Make the green sauce: Put cilantro, salt, Serrano chile and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Pulse briefly, then purée into a paste. Add 1/4 cup water, and purée again. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in lime juice.
  • Make the ragoût: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a deep, wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add coriander and cumin. Let sizzle for a few seconds, then onions and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Add leeks and season well with salt and pepper. Stir and cook onion-leek mixture until leeks are soft but still bright green, about 5 minutes.
  • Add zucchini, season with salt and stir to coat. Add 3 cups water, raise heat to a boil, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add asparagus and peas, cover and cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Add favas, if using, and spinach, cover and cook 1 minute. Turn off heat. (Spinach will continue to cook.)
  • Finish the couscous: Set a wide skillet over high heat. When pan is hot, add cold butter and let it sizzle and foam, turning rust-brown but no darker. Add preserved lemon and the saffron and its water to stop the browning. Turn off heat. Add hot couscous to pan and stir to incorporate all elements. Transfer to a warm serving bowl.
  • Gently fold vegetables together, then lift from pot and transfer to a deep serving platter, using tongs or slotted spoon. Stir 2 tablespoons green sauce into liquid remaining in pot, then spoon liquid over vegetables. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Pass remaining green sauce at the table.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 556, UnsaturatedFat 15 grams, Carbohydrate 67 grams, Fat 26 grams, Fiber 11 grams, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 948 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams, TransFat 0 grams

EASY SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT



Easy Spring Vegetable Ragout image

Serve this light ragout over pasta, polenta, or tortellini to make it a main dish.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Healthy Recipes     Gluten-Free Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 10

3 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup water
6 ounces sugar snap peas, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
8 radishes, quartered
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, such as chives and tarragon

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.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOûT



Spring Vegetable Ragoût image

Categories     Bean     Vegetable     Stew     Vegetarian     High Fiber     Asparagus     Fennel     Leek     White Wine     Spring     Healthy     Tarragon     Gourmet

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 pound leeks
1pound fennel bulb (sometimes called anise)
1/4 pound fresh morels
1 pound baby turnips, trimmed and halved
1 pound baby carrots, trimmed
2 pound fresh fava beans, shelled (1 cup)
1 pound mixed fingerling or other small boiling potatoes
2 shallots
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh tarragon, chives, and flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
2 yellow bell peppers, coarsely chopped
Accompaniments: crusty bread and parmesan shavings

Steps:

  • Chop white and pale-green parts of leeks and wash well in a bowl of cold water. Lift leeks from water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander to drain. Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and remove any discolored areas of bulb. Halve bulb lengthwise and cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, discarding cores. Halve or quarter larger morels lengthwise, leaving smaller ones whole.
  • Cook turnips in a 6-quart heavy pot of salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer turnips with slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water to stop cooking. (Keep water boiling.) Boil carrots until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, and transfer with slotted spoon to ice water. Boil fava beans until crisp-tender, about 2‚ minutes, and transfer with slotted spoon to ice water. Gently boil potatoes until almost tender, about 15 minutes, and drain in colander. Rinse under cold running water. Drain blanched vegetables and gently peel outer skins from fava beans. Halve potatoes.
  • Cook shallots, leeks, and salt and pepper to taste in 3 tablespoons butter in pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add broth, zest, and 1/4 cup herbs and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids and reserve broth.
  • Cook morels in remaining 3 tablespoons butter in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add fennel, asparagus, bell peppers, and reserved broth, then simmer, covered, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Gently stir in blanched vegetables and simmer until all vegetables are just tender, about 4 minutes.
  • Serve ragout sprinkled with remaining 1/4 cup herbs.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT



Spring Vegetable Ragout image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dinner Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 pound jumbo asparagus, trimmed
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
8 baby artichokes, trimmed and quartered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs, such as mint and parsley

Steps:

  • Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt, return to a boil and add asparagus. Cook until just tender, drain asparagus, and immediately transfer to ice-water bath to cool. Drain from ice water and set aside.
  • Bring a large saucepan of water and lemon juice to a boil over high heat. Add artichokes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes; drain.
  • In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook until softened, about 1 minutes. Add asparagus, artichokes, peas, thyme, and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer and cook until heated through. Remove thyme sprigs, season with salt and pepper, and stir in chopped herbs. Add remaining tablespoon butter and swirl until melted. Serve immediately.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOûT WITH FRESH CHERVIL



Spring Vegetable Ragoût with Fresh Chervil image

Categories     Herb     Side     Sauté     Artichoke     Asparagus     Carrot     Spring     Sugar Snap Pea     Bon Appétit     Vegan     Vegetarian     Pescatarian     Paleo     Dairy Free     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     No Sugar Added     Kosher

Yield Makes 6 side-dish servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 lemon, halved
8 baby artichokes
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup minced red onion
8 ounces baby carrots, peeled, 1/4 inch of stem left intact
12 ounces slender asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, halved crosswise
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil

Steps:

  • Fill medium bowl with cold water. Squeeze juice from lemon into bowl; add lemon. Cut off stem and top quarter from each artichoke. Bend back dark green outer leaves and snap off at artichoke base until only pale green and yellow leaves remain. Quarter each artichoke. Using small spoon, scoop out choke and any purple-tipped leaves. Transfer to lemon water.
  • Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain artichokes; add to skillet along with carrots. Cover; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add asparagus and sugar snap peas. Cover; cook until vegetables are tender, stirring and adding water by tablespoonfuls if vegetables begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in chervil. Season with salt and pepper.

Tips:

  • Use fresh, seasonal vegetables. This will ensure that your ragoût is packed with flavor and nutrients.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different vegetables. There are many different types of vegetables that can be used in a ragoût, so feel free to mix and match until you find a combination that you like.
  • Don't overcook the vegetables. Overcooked vegetables will lose their flavor and texture, so be sure to cook them just until they are tender.
  • Use a good quality stock. The stock is the base of the ragoût, so it's important to use a good one. If you don't have time to make your own, you can use a good quality store-bought stock.
  • Season the ragoût to taste. This is the most important step of all! Taste the ragoût and adjust the seasonings until it tastes perfect.

Conclusion:

Spring vegetable ragoût is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It's a great way to use up fresh, seasonal vegetables and it's also a good source of protein and fiber. Whether you serve it as a main course or a side dish, this ragoût is sure to be a hit.

Related Topics