Bright sunlight, hail storm and torrential downpour today inspires a spring veggie stew. This is completely made up and something I hope to build from, despite my husband’s distaste for vegetable stews or eggplant.
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large eggplant, skin on and diced to 1 inch pieces
- 2 lbs baby artichokes, trimmed and halved or quartered to be bite sized
- 32 oz strained San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste
- 32 oz vegetable broth
- 4 – 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed
- parmesan rinds
- olive oil
- 2 tsp each:
- ground coriander
- fennel seed, freshly ground
- oregano
- thyme
- 2 large russet potatoes, skinned and cubed
- 10 oz fresh English peas (could use frozen)
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- handful fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Toss the eggplant in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and spread onto a baking sheet. Top with coarse salt and black pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, checking and turning after 10.
- In a large stock pot, heat enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan. Saute onion until soft and browning. Add garlic and add small amount of vegetable stock as needed to keep the onion and garlic from burning. Add the eggplant and the rest of the ingredients up to the potatoes. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes to an 1 hour. Add the potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender. Add the peas and two tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar and cook another 10 minutes.
- Serve with parmesan and crusty Italian bread (unless you’re avoiding bread, then dream like we are tonight…)
