This is the forgiving stew, or is it a soup?
The idea behind this stew is to use up all of the vegetables in your fridge and to eat as many vegetables as possible. It’s perfect for the winter months when it’s freezing outside and your schedule is packed with social events and too many treats. This stew is forgiving because you can substitute different ingredients to use up what is in your fridge and based on your vegetable preferences. If you like more cabbage, then put in more cabbage. If you don’t like cabbage but you like zucchini, put more in. You can’t go wrong; it’s the forgiving stew!
One of the key ingredients to this stew is lots of marjoram, I used dried which is perfect for this recipe. It’s herby flavour and adds a natural sweetness. Make this recipe for vegetarians or meat lovers, I sometimes have two pots going at once, one with meat and one without. I like adding a tin of cannellini beans for the creamy texture or black beans for their earthy flavour; and for my meat lover any ground meat works, if you can find grass-fed beef, go for it.
Is it a soup or is it stew? You decide!
The Forgiving Stew
This recipe serves 6.
You can make it however you want! More soup-like add more water, it you want it stew-like add more tomato paste.
Ingredients
olive oil for sauteing
1 medium-sized white or yellow onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 of a zucchini, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 28 oz (or 796 mL) tin of diced or chopped tomatoes
1 tin (156 mL) of tomato paste
2 tins of water, (use the tin of tomatoes to measure the water)
1 pound of ground chicken or turkey or beef preferably grass-fed or organic, (for your meat eaters)
1 tin of beans, (any beans you have in the panty)
2 cups of chopped kale, swiss chard or spinach, chopped into bite sized pieces (you can use any kind of kale, we used red kale in this recipe because it looked nice)
2 cups green cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp of marjoram
1/2 tbsp of thyme
1 tbsp of salt (or more to taste)
pinch of red chilli flakes
1 bay leaf
Directions
1. In a large soup pot heat about 3 tablespoons or olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion, celery and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often until the onion has softened, then add in the garlic.
2. If you are using ground meat now is the time to add to the pot. Cook until the meat is well browned.
3. Add the zucchini and carrots, tomato paste, tin of tomatoes, water, beans, cabbage, and all the spices. (Do not add the chopped greens at this time).
4. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for about 40 minutes, then remove the lid and add the chopped greens. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the greens have softened.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Optional Add-ins
A tablespoon or two of bouillon powder. This is a great panty staple. I like Harvest Sun Organic Bouillon Powder.
Kombu, one strip. It adds a natural saltiness and any seaweed is good for you. Take out the Kombu once soup is cooked and discard.
Splash of red wine - I usually do red wine but today I had white wine, so that’s what I used. I keep the red wine frozen in the freezer so it’s available this stew!
A big grind of Parmesan cheese or for vegans I love Bragg’s Nutritional Yeast or daiya cheese.
Cooks Notes
I like to taste as I go along for salt, pepper, etc.
You could use one or two tins of beans.
If you have any leftovers, it will thicken up and you may need to add more water or broth to thin out.
Store any leftovers in the fridge.