by R. Quill

Created on: February 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 04, 2007

Vegetable hotpot

A stew of vegetables in thick tomato broth, this dish makes a great wintertime dinner. Serve with biscuits or crusty bread.

1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4-5 cups root vegetables (carrot, potato, sweet potato, turnip, rutabaga, parsnip and/or celeriac), cut into equal-sized chunks
1/4 cup flour

1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of kidney beans
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
Cooking oil

1) Put a large pot on the stovetop and add enough oil to coat the bottom. Bring to medium heat.
2) Add the onion and celery, and cook until soft.
3) Add the garlic, chili and thyme. Cook just until you can smell the garlic.
4) Add the root vegetables and flour. Stir to coat the vegetables evenly.
5) Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, and a little salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Taste the broth and add more seasonings if needed.
6) Simmer for about half an hour, or until the vegetables are cooked.
7) Add the kidney beans, and cook for five more minutes.
8) Immediately before serving, stir in the parsley.

Variations:
-Add chopped squash, about ten minutes before the other vegetables are cooked.
-Add baby spinach along with the parsley, and stir until the spinach has wilted.
-Substitute chickpeas for the kidney beans.

Learn more about this author, R. Quill.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.