Today it warmed up enough to go out in the back yard and do a few things, like make the kids rake the leaves . I brought in sticks and wood for the fireplace, turned some compost, and assessed what was left of the garden. The broccoli raab, parsley, and oregano still look good after a freeze. The lettuce is laying on the dirt, and the rest of the plants look dead.
Next year I need to plant more root vegetables to take us into winter. Luckily the two nearest farm markets are still open and heavily stocked. One even had some of their heirloom tomatoes left. I may have told you that my egg lady’s chickens stopped laying because they got too old. She sold them at auction and ordered some chicks. In the meantime, Rock Hill has chickens and their eggs are only $2.75.
When I saw this recipe, which I modified from one in Vegetarian Times (October 2014, p.28), they suggested serving it on a bed of quinoa. A “ragout” (ra-goo) is a well-seasoned stew that makes a main dish; I like to use this vegetable medley as a bed for fish to add a lot of flavor and color to mild filets. My son dipped the fish in whisked egg with milk and then breadcrumbs and browned about four minutes on each side. He made the tiny, fifth piece of fish for the cats – they wanted more even though they had just been fed.
Brussels Sprouts and Carrot Ragout
1/3 C orange juice
1 T orange zest
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T minced ginger (about 1”)
3 T avocado oil
3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered (3 cups)
3/4 lb. julienned carrots, (2 Cups cut 2-inch by ½-inch sticks)
2 T shallots (1 medium)
2 cloves crushed garlic (2 tsp.)
3 C loosely packed spinach leaves
Combine orange juice and zest, vinegar, and ginger in small bowl, and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add carrots and shallots, and cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add Brussels sprouts, cover, and cook 5 minutes, or until sprouts are nicely browned, stirring frequently. Add another tablespoon of oil if needed. Add garlic, and stir another minute.
Add spinach to pan, pour orange mixture over, and stir. Cover pan, and cook 2 minutes. Uncover pan, and cook 5 more minutes, or until liquid is reduced.
