Winter Vegetable Stew

yield: 8 cups (8 servings) by Deborah Madison

In this recipe you begin by making a flavorful stock from dried wild
mushrooms. Or use the Mushroom Broth, with or without the Madeira.
Cook this in a clay pot or a Crockpot. (If using a clay pot, soak both
halves in cold water for at least 15 minutes before using.) Both will
leave you free for at least a couple of hours while dinner cooks. The
vegetables listed are merely suggestions. You may want to include
celery root, onions, fresh mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, etc., which
will cook in roughly the same amount of time. If you add fresh
mushrooms, broccoli or cauliflower, do so during the last 40 minutes.
You may find the cooking times vary from the directions, but that is
to be expected: different sizes, tough, or tender produce will make a
difference. It's up to you, the cook, to check now and then and see
how things are going, then adjust accordingly. The sauce will be
flavorful but thin. However, it can be thickened just before serving,
if you wish. Instructions for thickening and flavoring are included.

Mushroom Stock:
1 yellow onion, roughly diced
6 juniper berries
4 fresh sage leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
2 pinches dried thyme
4 branches parsley
2-inch piece fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 to 1 ounce dried cepes (porcini)
1 cup finely chopped fresh mushrooms
3 cups water
Juice from tomatoes (from the vegetables)

Heat a few spoonfuls of water in a wide saucepan, add the onion, and
cook over medium-high heat, stirring continually for about 7 minutes
and adding more water as needed, until the onions are browned. They
can get as dark as you have time for (and without their burning) as
this caramelizing helps enrich the flavor. When done, add the herbs
and the wine, bring the mixture to a boil, and let it reduce for
several minutes. Rinse the dried mushrooms briefly in cold water to
get rid of any sand, then add them to the pot along with the fresh
mushrooms, water, and juice from the tomatoes. Cook at a slow boil
while you are preparing the vegetables or until the liquid has reduced
to about 2 to 21/2 cups. Strain the stock and set aside. Reserve the
mushrooms if they are of good quality to use in this dish.

Vegetables:
4 parsnips (8 ounces), cut in 2-inch lengths
5 carrots (14 ounces), cut in 2-inch lengths
8 ounces small white potatoes, halved lengthwise
5 stalks celery (5 ounces), cut in 2-inch lengths
2 or 3 leeks, white part only (5 to 6 ounces), halved lengthwise and
cut in 1-inch pieces
2 medium rutabagas (6 to 8 ounces), peeled and cut in 1/2-inch wedges
1 medium turnip (3 to 4 ounces), peeled and cut in 1/2-inch wedges
4 cloves garlic, left whole and unpeeled
1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, quartered, juice reserved for Mushroom
Stock (see above)
2 pinches dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
2 small bay leaves
Dash of red wine or sherry vinegar to taste
Dijon mustard to taste (optional)
Freshly chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare all the vegetables as described. Peel the parsnips and the
carrots, but leave the skins on the potatoes if they look clean and
fresh. Cut the parsnips in half lengthwise and remove the woody cores.
Halve or quarter the thicker pieces of carrot so that they are roughly
the same size as the thin ends. Put all the vegetables into a Crockpot
or bottom half of a clay pot along with the herbs, and add the
Mushroom Stock. If you have used French or Italian mushrooms for the
stock, add them as well. If using a Crockpot, cover and cook on low
for about 3 hours. If using a clay pot, cover, put into a 350 F. oven,
and cook for about an hour, check, and continue cooking, if necessary.
When the vegetables are cooked, thicken the sauce, as described below,
if you want more of a gravy. Otherwise, taste, add a dash of vinegar
and mustard to sharpen the tastes, if necessary, and serve the
vegetables in soup plates with the sauce. Garnish with some parsley
and plenty of pepper.

variation:

To thicken the sauce, pour off the sauce into a measuring cup and note
how much there is. For every cup, measure 2 teaspoons arrowroot.
Dissolve the arrowroot in some of the broth in a small bowl, then add
it to the whole amount. Heat over a medium-high flame until the sauce
has thickened. Taste and season with vinegar to brighten the flavors,
and add plenty of pepper. You could also stir in a couple of teaspoons
of mustard. Cook at least 5 minutes, stirring constantly, then return
to the vegetables and serve.

Serving size 5 1 cup

117 calories
0.6 grams total fat
trace saturated fat
0 milligrams cholesterol


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