When the weather turns raw, and the spring storms roll through, I always find myself reaching for a pot of stew. Beef stew — or in this case, my trusty vegetarian version — is the kind of comfort food that makes a chilly, damp day feel a little more forgiving. I build it around whatever rescued vegetables are lingering in the kitchen or stored in the freezer for future use. Always letting them simmer down into an herb‑rich gravy that begs to be spooned over mashed potatoes. Sometimes I deepen the broth with a splash of wine or a generous serving of beer, but the heart of the dish is simple: good herbs, good produce, and something hearty to stand in for the beef. If you don’t have vegetarian meat on hand, mushrooms step in beautifully. For this stew, I am using frozen green beans and carrots from previous rescue produce boxes.
Vegetarian Beef Stew
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
pink salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste or red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 cup amber or dark beer or beef broth
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp unbleached flour
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green beans
mashed potatoes (recipe follows)
In a large stockpot, over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion. If your carrots are fresh, add them now. If they are frozen, add them with the other frozen vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, saute for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, beef broth, beer, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, turn to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the butter and flour together. Add the mixture to the stockpot. Bring the mixture back to a boil. The mixture should thicken in 2-3 minutes. Add the frozen vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tbsp butter
pink salt and pepper to taste
In a large stockpot, add the potatoes. Cover them with about an inch of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and return to the stockpot. Stir in milk and butter, and using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth.
There is something about very cold weather that gives one an enormous appetite. Most of us find ourselves beginning to crave rich stews and hot apple pies and all kinds of delicious warming dishes; and because we are all a great deal luckier than we realize, we usually get what we want, or near enough.
- Roald Dahl
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