The title is funny, I’ll admit.  But, when people normally think about vegetable stew, there’s usually a thought of beef in a background of vegetables.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I know that vegetable beef stew is an amazing and filling meal when the weather turns a little chilly, but, since I don’t eat beef, I didn’t want to feel left out.  :)  This recipe is actually vegan as well.  Talk about a dose of pure healthy eating!

This recipe is to die for.  The combination of the white button mushrooms and cremini (aka baby portobello) definitely stand out as the stars of this stew-in fact, if you wanted to add meat to this, you probably could, however, the mushrooms add that sort of meaty “kick” already.  I used up my purple potatoes instead of using the standard red potatoes; however, I stuck pretty closely to the original recipe in order to make sure that I prepared it correctly.  Next time I make this, I may add some red bell pepper or some additional root vegetables to get more variety.  I loved the colors and different textures that the veggies provided.  I added the balsamic vinegar (yes, balsamic…I was intrigued by this) at the very end, as the recipe stated, but I thought that it slightly overpowered the stew when I ate it immediately.  However, when I packed it for lunch the next day and the flavors had some time to mellow out, the balsamic seemed to really bring out some intense and earthy flavors that I didn’t taste during the first serving.  So, it’s up to you.  Next time I might add just a little bit less and see what happens.  The bottom line is this:  I will definitely be making this stew again.

Vegetarian Vegetable Stew

Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium carrot, minced

1 medium stalk celery, minced

1 medium red onion, chopped medium

9 medium portobello mushrooms (about 1 and 1/4 pounds), stems discarded, caps halved and then sliced 1/2 inch thick

10 ounces white mushrooms, stems trimmed and mushrooms halved

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup white wine

2 and 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup canned diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

4 large carrots (about one pound), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 medium red potatoes (about 1 and 1/2 pounds), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.

2. Add the minced onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

3.  Add the red onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the portobello and button mushrooms, raise the heat to medium-high, and sauté until the liquid the release has been evaporated, about 10 minutes.

5. Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook for 30 seconds.

6. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pot.

7. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

8. Add the stock, salt, tomatoes, bay leaf, carrots, and potatoes, and bring to a boil.

9.  Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the carrots and potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes.

10. Mix the cornstarch and with water to form a smooth paste.

11.  Stir the paste into the stew and cook until the liquid thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.

12.  Turn off the heat, stir in the peas, cover, and let stand until the peas are hot, 3 to 4 minutes.

13. Stir in the parsley and balsamic vinegar, discard the bay leaf, and adjust the seasonings.  Serve immediately.

Source:  Soups and Stews.

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