Home > Recipes > Favourite vegetarian recipes > Root vegetable, aubergine and walnut ragoût

Root vegetable, aubergine and walnut ragoût

By: Bruno Loubet

Bruno Loubet’s ragoût recipe comes served with a gram flour pancake – a vegetarian recipe that will impress guests.

Bruno Loubet’s ragoût recipe comes served with a gram flour pancake – a vegetarian recipe that will impress guests.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp ground cinnamon
250g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
150g carrots, cut into 2cm cubes
250g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
100g white dried broad beans (also known as foul/ful or fava beans), soaked in water according to the pack instructions – or see tips
250g cherry tomatoes
1 large aubergine
2 tbsp lemon juice
80g walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tbsp soft rindless goat’s cheese
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, plus extra to garnish
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves, plus extra to garnish

For the pancake

Cook Mode Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

To make the ragoût, heat the olive oil in a large pan, then add the onion, garlic, cumin and fenugreek seeds. Cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the onion starts to colour. Add the cinnamon, squash, carrots, sweet potato and soaked broad beans (see tips). Mix well, then cover with 1 litre water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Add the tomatoes and gently simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.
Meanwhile, turn the aubergine over the open flame of a gas hob to char the skin and soften the flesh (or see tips). Cool briefly, then cut the aubergine in half lengthways and spoon the smoky flesh into a mini food processor. Add the lemon juice, toasted walnuts, pomegranate molasses, goat’s cheese and 4 tbsp water. Process until creamy. Stir into the tomato and vegetable mixture, then take the pan off the heat and keep warm.
To make the pancake, put the flour and turmeric in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle, then add the olive oil, egg and baking powder. Slowly pour in the buttermilk, whisking as you go, incorporating a little of the flour at a time, to form a smooth batter. Season.

Melt a knob of butter in a 23cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter foams, pour in the pancake batter and lower the heat, then cook gently for about 4-5 minutes until little bubbles appear on the surface. When the pancake is cooked enough to hold together, carefully flip it over and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
Cut the pancake into 6 slices and divide among serving plates. Add the parsley and mint to the stew and mix well; reheat if necessary. Season to taste, then spoon the stew over the pancake slices. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with sumac and extra herbs to serve.

Nutrition: per serving

If you don’t have a gas hob, put the aubergine, halved lengthways, skin-side up under a hot grill for 10 minutes, turning halfway, until blistered.
You can also use split dried fava beans, which don’t need overnight soaking: boil for 15-20 minutes or until tender, then refresh under cold water, drain and use.