experiencelifemag.com Print › | Back › Ragout of Root Vegetables, Pear and Chestnuts Serves 12 October 2009 Salt 1 1/2 pounds celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice 1 1/4 pounds turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice 4 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch dice 1 1/4 pounds baby golden beets, stems trimmed 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 large shallot, minced 1 tbs. chopped fresh thyme 1 1/2 cups chicken stock 1 cup jarred roasted peeled chestnuts Freshly ground black pepper 3 tbs. butter, at room temperature Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the celery root and boil until tender, about six minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the celery root to a large pan or platter. Add the turnips to the pot and cook until tender, about five minutes. Transfer to the pan. Repeat with the pears, cooking them for two minutes, then transferring them to a pan. Add the beets to the pot and boil for 15 minutes. Drain the water from the pot and transfer the beets to a large plate. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel and quarter the beets. Return the same pot to the stove over moderate heat. Add the olive oil and, when it’s hot, add the garlic, shallots and thyme, and cook until softened, about three minutes. Add the stock and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about five minutes. Add the celery root, turnips and pears, cover and cook over medium-high heat, folding the vegetables gently a few times with a rubber spatula, until heated through. Add the beets and chestnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until heated through, about three minutes more. Gently stir in the butter and transfer the ragout to a serving bowl. Recipe excerpted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook by John Besh (Andrews McNeel Publishing, 2009).

Ragout of Root Vegetables, Pear and Chestnuts

Serves 12

• Salt
• 1 1/2 pounds celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 1/4 pounds turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
• 4 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 1/4 pounds baby golden beets, stems trimmed
• 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup jarred roasted peeled chestnuts
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbs. butter, at room temperature

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the celery root and boil until tender, about six minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the celery root to a large pan or platter. Add the turnips to the pot and cook until tender, about five minutes. Transfer to the pan. Repeat with the pears, cooking them for two minutes, then transferring them to a pan. Add the beets to the pot and boil for 15 minutes. Drain the water from the pot and transfer the beets to a large plate. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel and quarter the beets.

Return the same pot to the stove over moderate heat. Add the olive oil and, when it’s hot, add the garlic, shallots and thyme, and cook until softened, about three minutes. Add the stock and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about five minutes.

Add the celery root, turnips and pears, cover and cook over medium-high heat, folding the vegetables gently a few times with a rubber spatula, until heated through. Add the beets and chestnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until heated through, about three minutes more. Gently stir in the butter and transfer the ragout to a serving bowl.

Recipe excerpted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook by John Besh (Andrews McNeel Publishing, 2009).

Print | Email | Comment | Subscribe | Give a Gift