Italian Vegetable Ragout

1 lb Boiling potatoes, peeled

-- cut in 1 1/2" cubes 1 lb Brussels sprouts

-- tough leaves removed -- ends trimmed -- cut in half 1 md Cauliflower

-- cut in large florets 1 lb Swiss chard

-- tough stems removed -- torn in bite-size pieces 2 tb Olive oil

1 c Chopped onion

1 c Chopped celery

3 lg Garlic cloves

-- finely chopped 1 tb Fresh marjoram or

1 ts Dried marjoram

1 lg Zucchini, ends trimmed

-- cut in 1" cubes 2 lg Carrots, peeled

-- sliced thickly -- on the diagonal 1 ts Coarse salt

1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper

16 oz Can chick peas, drained

-- rinsed with water ---------------------------------SERVE OVER--------------------------------- Whole wheat spaghetti or Steamed brown rice ----------------------------------GARNISH---------------------------------- 1/4 c Chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook potatoes, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower for five minutes. Add Swiss chard and boil one minute more. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain vegetables; set aside. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; saute three minutes. Stir in marjoram, reserved cooking liquid, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, salt and pepper, and reserved vegetables. Stir well, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until vegetables are just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in chick peas and just heat through. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with basil. Serve over whole wheat spaghetti or steamed brown rice. Suzanne Jonker, in "The Herb Companion." Posted by Cathy Harned.