Ontario Vignarola
'Tis the season.
by Erin Henderson
Vignarola is a Roman, spring vegetable stew. Popular at Easter, vignarola marks the dawn of the warm weather with the first bounty of the season, artichokes (carciofi) figure prominently, as do fava beans, and spring peas.
Related: How to Pair Wine with Spring Vegetables
Of course, there are as many versions of this vegetarian one-pot wonder as there are Romans. Some recipes add lettuce, others spinach; most require stock, though a few prefer water. A number of cooks nix the vegetarian angle and add guanciale or pancetta. There are recipes that instruct a more brothy soup-like consistency, and others that result in a vegetable medley with nearly no liquid. But they all pretty much adhere to the artichoke-bean-pea combo.
Here in Ontario, our climate is cooler than Rome, so our spring vegetables arrive later, usually not until mid-May. I find shelling favas and peeling artichokes a major pain, and the results are shockingly minimal for all the effort. In my version I use frozen favas and marinated artichokes which also gives a subtle zing to the final stew. I also add a small dollop of white miso – my secret weapon in almost everything – for intensifying flavours with that je ne sais quoi. Scandalous, I know.
Ontario Vignarola
This makes an excellent vegetarian main dish, but can also be served as a side to roast chicken or pork loin.
Makes: About 5 cups
Chef level: easy
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 bunch ramps, cleaned very well, of course, white bulbs sliced, and green leaves separated
- 3 Tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 Tbsp white miso
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cup fava beans, shelled
- 1 cup asparagus, peeled, and sliced on the bias
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, de-stringed and sliced on the bias
- 1 cup marinated artichokes, drained on paper towels.
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 bunch fresh basil, sliced into ribbons
- Parmesan, for serving
How You Make It:
- Set up vegetable stock over low heat to warm.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set up a bowl full of ice water.
- Add fava beans, to boiling water, cooking for 2 minutes until cooked through then remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into ice water. Pop each bean from the fiberous, beige skin surrounding the bright green bean.
- In a deep sauté pan set over medium low heat, add oil and butter allowing to warm and become frothy.
- Add sliced white parts of the ramps and cook stirring frequently until just soft, about 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir through, cooking until fragrant but no colour, about 40 seconds.
- Pour in the wine and add the miso, allowing the wine to simmer gently and the miso to melt into the sauce, about 3 minutes.
- Add the asparagus to the pan, gently cooking until bright green but still crunchy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in 1 ladle of stock, allowing it to simmer gently.
- Add the cook favas and sugar snaps, cooking until peas are bright green, about 1 minute.
- Add in a second ladle of stock, gently simmering until it has reduced slightly. In my version of vignarola, I like some flavourful liquid, but not so much that it is soupy – adjust to your preferences.
- Add in the marinated artichokes and sliced basil stir to warm through – about a minute.
- Serve in shallow bowls with a shaving of Parmesan over top.
Wine Pairing:
Go for a crisp white wine with all the verdant flavours of this light, springtime stew. Whites from northern Italy, such as Vermentino, Soave, or Verdicchio are a natural pairing, but if find it tough to source those bottles where you are, rest assured a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand is an excellent choice, and widely available at a range of price points.