Home | Veggie Table - Show #49

Veggie Table - Show #49

Veggie Ragout

• 2 -- Medium artichokes or new potatoes
• 1 -- Medium leek, white & tender green portions only; thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 -- Lemon, halved
• 5 -- Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup (50 mL) -- Olive oil
• ½ tsp (2 mL) -- Sugar
• ¾ cup (175 mL) -- Water - more, if needed
• 1 lb. (½ kg) -- Very thin asparagus
• 2 oz (60 g) -- Small fresh morels (optional)
• 1 lb. (½ kg) -- Fresh peas, shelled
• Or? -- Sugar snaps peas cut into 1/3 on a diagonal
• Or? -- Fresh peeled fava beans
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) -- Finely chopped herbs (chervil, flat leaf parsley, chives & up to 2 tbsp tarragon) in any combo
• ½ to ¾ -- Finely slivered lemon zest (from ½ to ¾ of a lemon)
• To taste... -- Salt and fresh pepper

Squeeze the lemon into a bowl of water. Add the lemon halves to the bowl. Trim 1" off the stem ends of the artichokes. With a thin, sharp knife, cut the artichokes in half crosswise, discard the crowns. Pull of a the green outer layers from the bases until you reach the pale yellow leaves. Peel the artichoke stems and trim any tough green portions from the bottoms. Quarter the bottoms lengthwise, cut out and discard the hairy chokes. Slice each ¼" crosswise and ¼" thick, dropping the slices into the lemon water to prevent browning. In a large (preferably nonstick) skillet, combine the olive oil with leek and garlic. Cook, covered until leek softens - about four minutes. Drain the artichoke hearts - add along with the sugar, ½ tsp salt and ½ cup of water. Cover and cook about five minutes over moderately high heat until hearts are tender crisp, stirring occasionally. Add the asparagus and ¼ cup water and cook until asparagus is tender (about one minute or so). Stir veggies now and then and add a little water if they seem dry. Now stir in morels, if using, and peas. Cover and cook another two minutes or so until just tender. The water will have evaporated completely. Stir in the chopped herbs and lemon zest. Season with plenty of pepper and serve.