This Winter Veggie Stew is super nourishing and perfect for when you feel like your immune system is dragging a bit. With garlic, onion, spices and a cozy broth, this soup packs a feel good punch!

Serving Size : 8

INGREDIANTS

Mushroom Stock:

  • 1 yellow onion — roughly diced
  • 5 juniper berries
  • 5 fresh sage leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried\
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 pinches dried thyme
  • 4 branches parsley
  • 1 – 2 inch piece fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/2 ounce dried cepes (porcini) or other  thinly sliced dried mushroom rinsed in cold water
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh mushrooms
  • 3 cups water or light vegetable stock
  • juice from tomatoes (from the vegetables)

Vegetables:

  • 4 parsnips (8 oz) — cut in 2-inch lengths
  • 5 carrots (14 oz) — cut in 2-inch lengths
  • 9 ounces small white potatoes — halved lengthwise
  • 5 stalks celery (5 oz) — cut in 2-inch lengths
  • 2 leeks, white part only (5 to 6 oz) — halved (2 to 3) lengthwise and cut in 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium rutabagas (6 to 8 oz) — peeled and cut in 1/2-inch wedges
  • 1 medium turnip (3 to 4 oz) — peeled and cut in 1/2-inch wedges
  • 4 cloves garlic — left whole and unpeeled
  • 1 – 15 oz can whole tomatoes — quartered, juice reserved for Mushroom Stock
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
  • 2 small bay leaves
  • 1 dash red wine or sherry vinegar to taste
  • freshly chopped parsley
  • freshly ground black pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

Stock: Heat wide saucepan, add the ¼ water and the onion, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring continually, 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. Add the herbs and wine and let simer to reduce in volume for several minutes.

Add the fresh and dried mushrooms, water or stock and juice from the tomatoes to the pot and cook at a slow boil until the liquid has reduced to about 2 to 2 1/2 cups. Strain the stock and set aside. Reserve the mushrooms if they are of good quality to use in this dish.

Add the prepared vegetables. Halve or quarter the thicker pieces of carrot so that they are roughly the same size as the thin ends and remove the woody core from the parsnips.

Cook the stew on low until the vegetables are cooked through but not mushy.

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 uuntil 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.