Flexible, Fabulous Stew
Improvise!
For each ingredient, add as much as you like depending on how many you will serve and how much of each vegetable you prefer in your stew bowl.
Chop one or many of the following:
Onions, shallots, leeks, zucchini
Saute in 2 extra tablespoons of oil than you usually use.
Once the vegetables are golden brown, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour on top. Stir until the flour/ oil mixture, the roux, is chestnut brown.
Add a teaspoon of sweet or hot paprika. Stir one minute.
Add 2-3 cups of stock, preferably mushroom. Add chopped mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, & potatoes. Cover and cook on a low flame until the vegetables are tender.
Add salt & pepper, frozen peas and legumes like chickpeas, lentils, and/ or beans. You can use rinsed canned legumes or pre-cooked dried ones.
Cook for 10 more minutes.
Taste. Adjust seasonings.
Optional: slice 1 red onion and steep in the juice of 2 limes for at least 20 minutes. Drain and dry with a paper towel. When serving, offer this to sprinkle on top of your stew.