South American Squash And Vegetable Ragoût Food

CARROT, SQUASH AND POTATO RAGOUT WITH THAI FLAVORS

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy lidded skillet or wide saucepan and add the ginger and onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, the tofu and the chiles, stir together, cover and cook gently for another 3 minutes, until the onion is soft but not browned. Add the curry powder, stir together, and add the lemon grass, carrots, squash, potatoes, and stock. Add salt to taste, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.
• Meanwhile place the coconut milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce by half.
• Stir the coconut milk into the vegetable ragout and combine well. Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove the lemon grass stalk. Taste and adjust seasonings. Just before serving stir in the lime juice. Serve in wide bowls, with rice if desired, garnishing each bowl with chopped cilantro.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOûT

Steps:

• In a kettle of boiling salted water boil the fiddleheads for 4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking, and transfer them to paper towels to drain. In the kettle boil the squash and the carrots for 3 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer the vegetables with the slotted spoon to the bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking, and transfer them to paper towels to drain. In the kettle boil the peas for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are just tender, and drain them.
• In a large heavy skillet combine 2 tablespoons of the butter, the onions, the thyme, the bay leaf, 1/4 cup of the broth, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the morels, halved lengthwise or sliced crosswise, and 1/2 cup of the remaining broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the morels are tender. Add the fiddleheads, the squash, the carrots, and the remaining 1/4 cup broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 1 minute. Add the peas, the parsley, the mint, and the garlic, simmer the ragout, covered, for 1 minute, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits, stirring until the butter is just melted. Discard the bay leaf and season the ragout with salt and pepper.
• To clean fresh-picked fiddleheads:
• Snap off the crisp, bright green fiddlehead tops from ostrich ferns, leaving about 2 inches of stem attached. Rub off the dry brown casings by hand or put the fiddleheads in a wire salad basket and whirl the basket outdoors to remove the casings. Let the fiddleheads soak in a sink half full of cold water, changing the water several times to remove any grit or casing particles, and drain them. The fiddleheads keep, covered and chilled, for 1 week.

NORTH AFRICAN VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a deep saute pan or stock pot. Add onion and saute until beginning to soften, 2 minutes. Add garlic and chiles and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add butternut squash and dry spices; saute 2 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and tomatoes with juices. (The squash should be just covered with liquid. Add extra chicken stock if necessary.).
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until squash is tender but firm, 15-20 minutes. Add chickpeas and 1 teaspoon salt. Continue to simmer, 10 minutes. Stir in kale and simmer until leaves are wilted and bright green, 2 minutes.
• While the ragout is simmering bring 2 cups chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, add couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
• To serve, spoon couscous into a bowl or shallow plate, leaving a well in the center. Ladle ragout into the center. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley leaves.
• TO MAKE WITH SAUSAGE:.
• As a first step, slice 8 ounces hot Italian sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Saute in deep saute pan until golden brown on all sides.
• Transfer sausage to a plate lined with a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat. Add onion and proceed with instructions above, substituting the sausage fat for the olive oil.
• Return sausage to the ragout with the chickpeas.

WHITE BEAN, SUMMER SQUASH AND TOMATO RAGOUT

Steps:

• Soak the beans if desired. I do not recommend soaking lima beans, as their skins detach too easily when you soak them. I usually do soak cannellinis. Cut the onion in half. Chop one half and set aside.
• Combine the beans, the onion half that isn't chopped, the 2 crushed garlic cloves and the bouquet garni in a large saucepan. Add 5 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 1 hour. Add salt to taste and simmer for another hour, until the beans are tender. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Remove the onion and the bouquet garni and discard
• Meanwhile, in a large casserole or deep, wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until it is tender, about 5 minutes, and add the minced garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is fragrant, and add the summer squash. Turn up the heat slightly so that the squash begins to cook right away, and sauté until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the thyme and the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have begun to break down. Turn the heat to medium, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often. The tomatoes should have cooked down and smell fragrant. Stir in the beans and their broth, bring to a simmer and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the basil, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot or warm, tossed with pasta, over grains, or as is.