Healthy Recipe, Vegan Vegetable Stew

Giambotta is a rustic one-pot vegetable stew bursting with late-summer flavors, hailing from Calabria, Italy. This version is lightly adapted from one in “Vegana Italiana: Traditional Italian the Plant-Based Way” by Tara Punzone. The key to success lies in layering the veggies and herbs. Give the hearty aromatics a head start before adding the rest of the ingredients in the order given. You want to make sure each is cooked to the desired tenderness without turning mushy. A simple green salad in a light vinaigrette pairs well with this, along with a slice of warm ciabatta or other crusty bread. Serves 6-8. – Susan Puckett

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups diced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 tablespoons very thinly sliced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 cups medium-diced Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 cup diced eggplant (peeled first, if desired but not necessary)
• 1 cup diced red bell peppers
• 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (stems and leaves)
• One 15-ounce can chickpeas or cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (plus more, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (plus more, to taste)
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, tarragon, and red Chile flakes and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. 
2. Add the diced potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the eggplant and red peppers and sauté 2 or 3 minutes longer, until they begin to soften. 
3. Add the mashed tomatoes, bay leaves, and parsley, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the eggplant is tender and the potatoes are almost done. 
4. Add the chickpeas, zucchini, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fully cooked and the zucchini is tender but still firm. 
5. Remove from the heat. Add more seasoning to taste and adjust with salt and pepper, if desired. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the basil. 

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.

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