A little stew to beat the frost…

This is one of my favorite warm things to make...Probably because I like to mix spices of all kinds together and see what happens. Let me know what you think...



Moroccan Stew:


1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
vegetable oil
5 cups vegetable or chicken broth (hopefully using the below recipe!)
12 oz chicken, sliced into 1 inch pieces (optional)
1 16 oz can chickpeas (in place of chicken if making vegetarian stew)
3 medium potatoes, cubed
2 turnips, cubed
2 carrots, chopped
1 1/2 tsp tumeric
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry
2 bay leaves
a little cayenne
salt to taste
2/3 cup raisins or chopped dried apricots or prunes
1 16 oz can chopped tomatoes

Couscous

In a large saucepan, saute onion, garlic and ginger in vegetable oil over medium heat until onions are soft but not caramelized. Add broth, (chicken), potatoes, turnips, spices, and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer, adding carrots after about 5 minutes.



When vegetables are tender, add dried fruit and chopped tomatoes (and chickpeas if using) and cook over medium heat for 5 more minutes.

Serve in bowls over prepared couscous like this:




So now’s the time when all the fall crops are winding down and you may be wondering what to cook with all the lingering fresh food. Since my friends owns a vineyard/organic farm, my roommates and I get fresh produce delivered every week and initially I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the giant pile of turnips, carrots, and greens. Well….after using a little brainpower, I concocted this soup:

Butternut Squash/Fall Veggie Soup:

4 cups vegetable broth (canned or homemade…recipe below)
3-5 turnips (depending on the size), cubed
3-4 carrots, sliced
2/3 cup red lentils
2-3 bay leaves
1 tsp ginger
a little cayenne
2 cups cooked butternut squash
Salt to taste

Bring vegetable broth to a boil and add turnips, carrots, red lentils, bay leaves, ginger, salt, and cayenne. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook root vegetables until softened (liquid may be considerably reduced at this point). Place cooked vegetables (and broth if you want) into a blender and puree. Add the butternut squash to this mixture and place back in saucepan, cooking the entire mixture until heated through. Add water if the soup is too thick.

Vegetable Broth:

This is a GREAT way to put your leftover vegetable scraps to use! Given the cost of vegetable broth in the grocery store, it’s a great way to save cash. Basically, fill a pot with water and add whatever vegetable pieces you have on hand.

Celery, carrots, onions, and garlic cloves add the most flavor for your punch, so try to use these if you have them.

Some other suggestions are:
Leftover broccoli stalks (I’m sure you can put the tops to better use!)
Greens that aren’t quite good enough to cook for dinner
Tomato pieces
The part you peel off of beets
Leftover cabbage
Shells from peas
Potato peals. Almost anything goes.

To add a little flavor, parsley is a great addition…as well as bay leaves. Other herbs can be added too depending on what you’re making…oregano and thyme for an Italian soup, for example. And plenty of salt. When you have all your vegetables piled in your pot of water, boil them for about an hour or so (shorter or longer depending on how strong you like your broth). Then place a large bowl under a colander and pour the broth through in order to remove the vegetables.