Most of my recipes, in fact, are something I got from a cookbook and then personalized to my own tastes or cooking habits. This recipe for vegetable stew started out in The New Moosewood Cookbook, and then I got rid of all the vegetables I didn't like and adjusted the quantities of the veggies I did. I also changed the spices to adjust them to my own taste and to what I keep in the kitchen on a regular basis. Of course, that means you can add veggies you like that I don't include. Moosewood uses broccoli and mushrooms.
Oh, and another thing about my cooking philosophy, at least as it comes to vegetables, is that I like to make my food pretty by using a variety of colors and textures. My minestrone soup, for example, is gorgeous. Whenever I make this stew, I use the same philosophy and buy purple and red potatoes and get the most vividly green zucchini, and I always end up with the same brown, but delicious, mess. The point? Don't waste your time trying to make this pretty. You can't. The main color is brown. It isn't the sexiest food, but it tastes fantastic, and nothing feels more comfy on a cold winter's day than a bowl of this stew. It is a meal all by itself, but I like to serve it with some good bread. A multigrain bread or rosemary sourdough works especially well.
Hearty Vegetable Stew
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cups chopped onion
- 4 medium cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled or not & diced into about 3/4 inch pieces
- 1 medium eggplant, peeled or not & diced into about 3/4 inch pieces
- 1 tsp. salt (more to taste)
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 medium stalks of celery, chopped (I cut the celery kind of small because I hate biting into big pieces of it.)
- 3 medium carrots (or more), sliced
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (French table wines work well, but use whatever you've got around.)
- 2 small zucchini, diced in about 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 to 3/4 can of tomato paste (3+ tbsp.)
- 1 to 2 tsp. of sugar (I like demerara or something brown containing the molasses.)
- 2 tsp. dried rosemary (I like using fresh when I've got it, but you need more if you use fresh.)
1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or stock pot. Add onion, garlic, potatoes, eggplant, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender. Stir often and add small amounts of water to prevent sticking as needed.
2. Add celery, carrots, and red wine. Continue cooking over medium heat, covered but stirring occasionally, until everything is tender (about 8 minutes).
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes more or until you are happy with the tenderness of the vegetables. Stir occasionally, and as the time comes to an end, taste to adjust seasonings. You can serve it as is, but I like to mix in sour cream or creme fraiche. Without the dairy, the recipe is vegan, but even meat eaters are satisfied by this stuff.
(Re-posted from another blog of mine. Orginal date: 01.04.09.)
