Coconut Vegetables recipe

[JOH]

A traditional dish commonly thought of as a poor man’s meal in Jamaica, rundun was always a popular meal on my restaurants’ menus. Rundun translates as “run down,” another way of saying simmer down. Here, coconut milk is simmered down to a creamy sauce for the sautéed vegetables. Sautéed shrimps can also be added to this recipe.

Preparation & Cooking Time: 30 to 45 minutes

Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons / 25 mL butter
* 3 green onions, chopped (about ¾ cup / 175 mL)
* 1 large onion, chopped (about 1½ cups / 375 mL)
* 1 tomato, diced (about 1½ cups / 375 mL)
* ½ pound / 250 g mushrooms, quartered
* 1 (14-ounce / 398-mL) can coconut milk
* 3 carrots, thinly sliced diagonally (about 1½ cups / 375 mL)
* 1 stalk celery, sliced diagonally
* 1 cup / 250 mL broccoli florets
* ½ pound / 250 g green beans
* 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon / 5 mL dried thyme)
* ½ teaspoon / 2 mL finely chopped Scotch bonnet pepper
* ½ teaspoon / 2 mL salt
* ¼ teaspoon / 1 mL black pepper

Method:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté the green onions, onions, tomato, and mushrooms until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the coconut milk. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until nicely thickened.

Stir in the carrots; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery, broccoli, green beans, thyme, Scotch bonnet pepper, salt, and black pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked yet still crunchy. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons / 15 to 25 mL water. Remove the thyme sprigs before serving.