Recently a friend lamented to me that she feels she needs more vegetables in her diet. She said that she had no idea how to begin. To her, and many other cooks, palatable vegetable preparation seems as foreign as learning Mandarin. This then is a love letter, a primer for my friend and others (maybe you?) who are feeling stuck in the same story.
I’m not vegetarian. However, vegetables are the mainstay of my day. Vegetables inhabit my bowl, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I keep pre-steamed and roasted single vegetables in my refrigerator as artists keep tubes of paint. My artist’s eye loves the color, shape and texture of them. I love to toss them into salads, grain and soups. Often I begin constructing a dish from the colors of my produce: brussels sprouts, carrots and red bell pepper with an accent of black sesame seeds.
My parents’ immigrant background urges me to explore other cultures rich in vegetative bliss and seasoning like France, Asia, Italy, Morocco and India. My chef training has me think method and technique: the light savory touch of stir-fry, the haunting depth of roasting and caramelizing and the sweet, soothing wander into steaming, sautéing and braising.
All are a blessed place to begin a winter vegetable dish.
My hands-down winter favorite, vegetable ragoût, is classically French. A ragoût is a braised dish much like a stew but with way less liquid. At its most basic, it often begins with a base of aromatic vegetables like a French mirepoix (onion, celery, carrots, leek) to build flavor. Hard vegetables go in next to simmer with a flavorful liquid like broth or wine. Softer vegetables arrive after to simmer. When all vegetables are tender, a garnish of herbs, a squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of oil or butter completes the dish.
I prize most my heavy lidded 8-quart All-Clad (stainless) Dutch oven for vegetable ragoûts. It encourages a caramelized browning and the lid conserves moisture and tenderness. My personal ragoût has evolved into a jumbled simmer, a sort of potluck of vegetables all happily inhabiting the same space without hostility. This vegetable harmony can insinuate itself into other dishes, inspiring a chain of delights. Ragoûts transform into to unbeatable soups (chunky or puréed), wicked mac and cheese, superior casseroles, enticing pastas, rice pilafs, polenta, quinoa or cheeky, big-flavored sauces.
The ragoût method will train you to look at vegetables in a new light. Recipes become inspirational instead of bossy. Combinations of vegetables are central. Scour your refrigerator and soon you’ll be creating combinations that surprise and delight. This is the place to begin.
To achieve optimal results divide the vegetables into categories and cook them in stages.
Aromatic vegetables; onion, shallot, green onion, leek, ginger, garlic, celery, carrot, mushrooms.Root vegetables (harder); celery root, sweet potato, potato, rutabaga, turnips, parsnips, carrots.Softer vegetables; green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, red cabbage, celery, fennel.Green leafies; chard, kale, collards, spinach, arugula, cabbage, brussels sprouts.
Improvised Master Ragoût
So they cook evenly, small dice aromatic vegetables, medium dice root and softer vegetables and medium dice or finely slice greens.
Yields 2 to 4 servings
3 T. olive oil or mixture olive oil and butter, more to taste
½ C. aromatics
½ to 1 C. liquid or liquids for braising, more as needed
8 oz. diced root vegetables
8 oz. other diced vegetables (or fruit)
Greens or herbs
Suggested Combos:
Shallots, ginger, red bell pepper/sweet potato/green beans, baby kale/cilantroLeeks, mushrooms, garlic/Yukon Gold potatoes/artichoke hearts/thyme, Swiss chardGreen onions, carrots, ginger/Brussels sprouts, orange segments and juice, spinachRed onion/red cabbage, apple/caraway seed, red wine vinegar, dill or parsley
Melt butter and olive oil or just olive oil in a 7 to 8-quart heavy Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Start with aromatics. When aromatics begin to tenderize remove them to a bowl (if browning hard vegetables) or push them aside.
Prepare liquid braising/flavoring: sherry, Marsala, wine; vegetable, bean or chicken broth, citrus juice, tamari, vinaigrette or miso broth.
Stir in more oil as necessary and a single layer of diced root vegetables. If you wish to brown root vegetables, sprinkle with a little salt, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. If you prefer no browning stir in 1/2 cup broth, wine or water. Cover partially and braise-cook vegetables until tender.
Push root vegetables to the side. Stir in a single layer of tender, quicker cooking or green vegetables.
Season with a bit of salt and a little more liquid. Braise-cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
If you had put aromatics in a bowl, return them to pot. If using pre-cooked legumes, stir in and heat through.
Stir in butter, oil, herbs or vegetable accents like peas or very tender greens (spinach, arugula, chard) or flavorings of choice and heat through. Taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with more herbs.
Mushroom Ragoût
You may use this as gravy, as a side dish, as the base for a risotto or soup, a filling for pot pie, tacos or quesadillas, as a sauce for pasta or polenta and an omelet filling. Prepare it with all wild mushrooms, some wild mushrooms or with a mix of cultivated oyster mushrooms and shitakes, button or creminis. Make a big batch to insinuate into other dishes all week.
— Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman
Yields 6 to 8 servings
1 oz. (about 1 cup) dried mushrooms, preferably porcinis
2 to 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots or ½ medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. white or cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered or sliced ½ inch thick
1 lb. wild mushrooms, trimmed and brushed clean, or oyster mushrooms, trimmed and diced
Salt to taste
½ C. dry white wine; sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
2 t. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 t. chopped fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground pepper
4 T. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Place dried mushrooms in a heat-proof measuring cup or a bowl and pour in 2 cups boiling water. Soak 30 minutes.
Place a strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towels over a bowl and drain mushrooms. Save liquid. Squeeze mushrooms over strainer (and if necessary, rinse until free of sand). Chop coarsely.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wide saucepan. Stir in shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir together 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add fresh mushrooms, rosemary and thyme. Raise heat slightly.
Cook until mushrooms begin to sweat, then add a generous pinch of salt. Stir 5 to 7 minutes over medium-high heat as mushrooms continue to soften and sweat. Stir in reconstituted dried mushrooms and wine. Raise heat to high. Cook, stirring, until liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, about 5 minutes.
Stir in dried mushroom soaking liquid, bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant with a surrounding broth, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in salt, freshly ground pepper and the parsley to taste.
Advance preparation: Prepare ragoût up to 3 or 4 days before serving. Refrigerate. Reheat gently on top of the stove.
Southwest Winter Vegetable Ragoût
Try this with torn toasted corn tortillas and avocado.
Yields 2 to 4 servings
3 T. olive oil, plus more for serving
2 med. shallots or 1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 small leek, white and tender green, medium diced
2 med. carrots, medium diced
3 cloves garlic, quartered lengthwise
1 bulb fennel, stems removed and medium diced
1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves diced
1 small napa cabbage, cored and diced
2 to 3 cups cooked cassoulet beans, flageolet, cannellini or pinto beans with their broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chili flakes or green chili salsa and lime wedges
In a large pot, heat olive over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in shallots or onion, leeks, carrot and garlic. Salt lightly and stir. Cook vegetables until they’re almost tender, 10 minutes.
Stir in fennel, kale, cabbage and a little bean broth or water. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 10 minutes. Stir in beans. Season with salt and pepper. Bring back to a simmer.
Ladle into large bowls and drizzle each serving with extra-virgin olive oil and chili flakes or salsa. A squirt of lime and diced avocado would be tasty too.