Gavin's Mushroom Ragout

When I unexpectedly scored six pounds of mushrooms for a dollar at the big farmer's market, dinner plans changed to accommodate. I asked Gavin if he would like to have something with mushrooms, and he dictated this recipe, pausing to ask if we had each ingredient. (vegan)

In large skillet, sauté one medium chopped onion until soft. Add half a pound coarsely chopped mushrooms and one chopped sweet bell pepper, and cook until the onion is getting caramelized and the mushrooms are quite soft. Sprinkle on about ½ teaspoon salt. Add ½ cup blanched chopped tomatoes, and continue cooking until the liquid is evaporated.

This simple recipe works well as a sauce over pasta or polenta, and is easily doubled or tripled.

Vegetable Stew with Eggplant and Pole Beans

Pole beans are new to us, but were part of our New Roots share this year. They look like normal green beans, but are nearly 2 feet long! If not available, green beans can be substituted. Eggplant and beans are a great combination, and the edamame adds protein. (vegan)

In a wok or 4 quart saucepan, sauté in 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 2 medium chopped onions
• 5-6 chopped cloves garlic
• a 1" piece of fresh ginger, peeled, sliced into rounds, and chopped.

When the onion is softened, add

• 1-2 lbs. pole beans, ends trimmed and cut into 3-4" lengths
• 6-8 Japanese eggplants, stem end trimmed and cut into 1-1½" pieces
• 3 cups blanched chopped tomatoes
• 1½-2 cups shelled edamame
• 1 teaspoon salt

Stir for about a minute, then add 1½ cups of water. Simmer and continue to stir gently until the water evaporates and the eggplant is very tender when tested with a fork. (Add more water and continue to cook if the eggplant is not done.) Add 2 Tablespoons good soy sauce and stir before serving.

Blanched chopped tomatoes are a staple I try to keep in the freezer. Sometimes in the summer, I'll wind up with more tomatoes than I can use in time (particularly if I've hit a farmers' market at the end of the day, when quantities of vegetables can be had for deep discounts). I boil a large pot of water and drop the tomatoes in with a slotted spoon, boiling them just until their skins split. I then remove them with the slotted spoon to a colander, and when they've cooled enough to handle, slide off the skins. I'll then coarsely chop the tomatoes and freeze them in quart containers.