Mediterranean Ragout
Similar to ribollita (the “reboiled” Italian soup of vegetables and bread), this recipe is a perfect vehicle for putting a wide variety of farm-fresh vegetables to good use. Day-old bread, which functions as a thickener, gives the stew a homey, comforting finish. Use a good quality olive oil–it tastes…
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Similar to ribollita (the “reboiled” Italian soup of vegetables and bread), this recipe is a perfect vehicle for putting a wide variety of farm-fresh vegetables to good use. Day-old bread, which functions as a thickener, gives the stew a homey, comforting finish. Use a good quality olive oil–it tastes great drizzled over the completed stew.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts sliced
- 2 medium stalks celery, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 6 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 8 oz. fresh cranberry beans shelled, or 1 cup frozen baby lima beans
- 4 oz. green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (1 cup)
- 3 ripe medium tomatoes, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped (4 cups)
- 6 cups Swiss chard leaves, cut into 1/2-inch-wide ribbons
- 1 cup sliced zucchini
- 2 slices day-old country bread, cubed (2 cups)
- 1 cup Parmesan shavings, optional
Preparation
In Dutch oven or deep sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add celery, carrots, garlic, rosemary and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth and cranberry beans; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Add green beans, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chard and zucchini and return to a simmer. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, 6 to 10 minutes.
Remove from heat; season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add bread and stir to moisten. Cover Dutch oven and let stand until bread has softened and stew has thickened, about 5 minutes. Spoon stew into shallow soup bowls and drizzle some remaining oil over each serving. Garnish with Parmesan shavings if desired and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 236
- Carbohydrate Content 30 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 8 g
- Fiber Content 8 g
- Protein Content 8 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1 g
- Sodium Content 234 mg
- Sugar Content 0 g