I know I’ve already had 2 prior blog posts this year. However, I feel like this is the first real one of the year, as the others were part of my “Christmas In” series. So, let’s talk about resolutions, shall we? Did you make one…did you make multiple? I made two this year. Probably should’ve even made a third. They don’t have to be extreme, although one of mine could be potentially big in the realm of my everyday life. But, that one is still under some tinkering about what exactly is my ultimate goal. The other? Pretty simple and something I can manifest” eat more vegetables.
So, it starts today! I don’t know if all of my vegetable endeavors will make it to the blog…and, yes, I know I’m about 19 years late on this trend (note: I really hate trends, like I still do not own one, single, Apple product - it’s a long story, dating back to earlier than Meatless Mondays itself) and not even sure if Meatless Mondays will become a regular blog feature. Like anything in life should be, it remains to be seen and a work-in-progress. However, I went to the experts for my first recipe, Cook’s Illustrated and was rewarded. The broth in this stew is really great and the recipe packs in 10 different veggies!
Vegetable Stew
from Hearty Ten-Vegetable Stew, Cook’s Illustrated, America’s Test Kitchen
Olive oil
1 lb. white button mushrooms, cleaned, root end trimmed and thinly sliced
½ bunch of Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated
2 medium onions, medium-diced
2 celery ribs, cut into ½ inch lengths
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded, ½ inch dice
6 garlic cloves
2 tsp minced fresh thyme (or ¾ tsp dried)
2 tbsp AP flour
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups vegetable broth
2.5 cups of water
8 oz. small, red potatoes, 1-inch dice
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
1 medium zucchini, halved and seeded, ½-inch dice
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium or large dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, stir in the mushrooms with ¼ tsp of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their moisture content, about 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, mince the stems of your Swiss chard, and cut the leaves into ½-inch wide ribbons. Reserve.
When the mushrooms have cooked down, stir in an additional tbsp of oil and then add in the chard stems, onions, celery, carrot and bell pepper pieces, along with a pinch of salt. Cook until all of the vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
Using a garlic press (otherwise mince with a knife), add the garlic to the pot and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the tomato paste and flour, stirring nearly constantly to incorporate the flour, about a minute.
Add in the wine and scrape up any fond from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook until the wine has nearly evaporated.
Then, add in the broth, water, potatoes, parsnips, celery root and bay leaves, along with another pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Then, partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cooking for an hour.
After an hour, stir in the zucchini and chard leaves and cook for another 10 minutes. You may need to add about a ½-cup of water to the pot when adding in the chard leaves.
Once the leaves have softened, remove the pot from the heat and extricate the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Stir in some freshly cracked black pepper and taste for any additional needed seasoning. ______________________________ Copyright 2022, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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