Definition

Noun: 1. A well-seasoned stew of meat and vegetables: A ragout is a rich, savory dish where pieces of meat (and sometimes fish or vegetables alone) are stewed slowly in a flavorful liquid, typically with herbs, spices, and other vegetables. The key characteristics are its deep, complex seasoning and its thick, sauce-like consistency, which is often achieved without using flour as a primary thickener.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The chef prepared a delicious ragout of lamb with root vegetables and red wine.
  • For a vegetarian option, try the mushroom and lentil ragout served over polenta.
  • A classic French ragout requires patience to develop the flavors fully.

Advanced Usage

• "To make a ragout of something": This phrase can be used metaphorically to describe mixing various elements together, often in a complex or somewhat chaotic manner.
  • The documentary was a ragout of archival footage, interviews, and dramatic reenactments.

Variants and Related Words

• Ragout is occasionally used as a verb, though this is less common. It means to prepare or cook as a ragout.
  • The rabbit was ragouted with prunes and herbs.

Synonyms

• Stew: A general term for a dish of meat and vegetables cooked slowly in liquid. "Ragout" often implies a more refined or specifically seasoned type of stew.
• Daube: A French stew, often of beef, braised in wine.
• Fricassee: A stew, usually of white meat, in a white sauce.

Related Phrases / Idioms

• There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs directly using the word ragout. Its usage is primarily culinary.

Noun

1. well-seasoned stew of meat and vegetables