How to make a basic vegetable ragout

A ragout is generally described as either a stew or a pasta sauce. To make a quick vegetable ragout, sauté 1 finely chopped red onion and 1 crushed garlic clove in a little olive oil over medium heat until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add 2 stalks of chopped celery and 2 fresh bay leaves and continue cooking until the celery is soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1 x 410g tin chopped tomatoes and 100ml good-quality vegetable stock and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley and serve with cooked rice, pasta or couscous.