Kelsie Kerr's Spring Vegetable Ragout with Herbs
Co-Chef Cafe Rouge, Berkeley, CA

"My mother always made us beautiful Easter outfits and when we woke up Easter morning they would be hanging in our rooms -- dress, shoes, hat, the whole thing. And, of course, we had Easter egg hunts and baskets. I love the marvelous vegetables that become available at this time of year and Spring Vegetable Ragout is just what I want to eat at Easter." (serves 6 people)

• 1 cup twice peeled fava beans, about 1 pound favas in the pod
• 6 spring onions, the white bulbing type
• 1/4 pound morel mushrooms
• 3/4 cup shelled peas
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 5 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. each chopped chervil, parsley and chives
• salt to taste

Clean the onions, slice in half lengthwise and then cut into diagonal half moons, about 1/4 inch thick. Trim the ends of the mushrooms and cut into quarters lengthwise. In a heavy bottomed high sided saute pan warm half the olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and cook them until they soften, about 5 minutes. Next add the morels and season lightly with salt. Cook the two until the mushrooms give off their liquid. Then add the fava beans and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for 5 minutes. In the meantime, blanch the peas in boiling water until just done. Drain and set aside. This can all be done ahead. To finish the ragout, bring the liquid up to a boil. Turn down the heat and add the peas and the rest of the olive oil. Taste for salt and add the herbs. For a juicier ragout, add more chicken stock.