How I re-made North African Vegetable Stew

Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons

How Scrumptious does this Look? Fresh summer vegetables, beautiful summer herbs and rich spices combine to wake up your taste buds. This is is a dish that my Vegan client ask that I replicate for them.

As usual I take my own liberties with this..Including topping grilled polenta with the exotic summer stew.

Here is how I made it;

Diced onion and garlic is sauteed until translucent in 2 T olive oil

Season the onions with this spices mixture:Cumin, Coriander, Cayenne, Paprika,Cinnamon,Brown Sugar salt and pepper. The measurements for each will be in the recipe that follows. I create the spice mixture and use it to season the stew layer by layer.

To the onions and garlic then add the most firm vegetables; carrots, a bit of potato, fresh tomato (cooking these down enriches the vegetable broth) You will season this with the spice mixture and fresh chopped cilantro and Italian parsley.

Chopped fresh Cilantro
and
Italian parsley

This is a great stew to make in any region with what is in season and super fresh, asparagus was looking good at the produce stand so in it goes.

Now that that the bulk of the vegetables have been added it is time for the addition of some vegetable broth, Trader Joe's Hearty Vegetable stock is perfect. the first addition is 1 1/2 cups. Allow the vegetables to sweat and and steam a bit.

Now that the firm vegetables have begun to soften add you softer summer vegetables, egg plant that has been peeled,salted, rinsed and diced, diced zucchini, diced summer squash. Re-season and add 1 cup more broth.

The last vegetable addition is the artichokes, use 2 jar of artichokes with stems. If the artichokes are large  quarter them, if not halving them is fine. Final seasoning addition.

To finish the stew add 1/4c sifted flour and any remaining spice mixture stir carefully to avoid clumps forming and allow to thicken.  Serve over any of the following : Brown basmati rice, couscous or polenta. Polenta is a favorite right off the grill.

My African Stew:

2T olive oil

2 medium onions diced

4 cloves garlic minced

11/2 cups carrots sliced or diced

1 cup diced fingerling potatoes (skins on)

2 cups Fresh chopped Roma Tomatoes

11/2cups dice Zucchini

11/2 cups diced yellow squash (summer squash)

1 medium eggplant ; peeled, salted  rinsed, diced

3-4 cups vegetable broth

3t sea salt

11/2t pepper

1t ground cumin

2 t ground coriander

1/2 t ground Cinnamon

1t paprika

1/4 -1/2t cayenne (depends on how much heat you want)

1T brown sugar

1/4cup sifted flour

1 bunch chopped fresh Cilantro

1bunch chopped fresh Italian Parsley