French Country Veggie Stew - Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures (2024)

Ingredients

Scale

• 1 medium yellow onion, rough chop
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon GF flour *
• 2 Tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup white wine *
• ½ cup vegetable broth *
• ½ cup water (or broth)
• 1 – [ 14.5 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda *

Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried crushed thyme leaves *
• ¼ + 1/8 teaspoon dried crushed fennel (+/-) *
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried ground mustard powder
• 2 bay leaves
• Large pinch saffron threads (optional) *
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)

Other Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Russet potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, sliced into wedges *
• 3 carrots, chunked
• 2 celery ribs, chunked
• 8 oz. to 10 oz. mushrooms *
• 1 – [ 15.5 oz. can ] cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Optional Toppings:

• Freshly chopped parsley
• Dried red pepper flakes

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1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients into a small bowl, mix to combine, set aside.
3. In a large, deep, ceramic/enamel lined oven-safe Dutch oven/pot, add the onion, sauté over medium-high heat for 4 minutes until the onions start to soften. (If needed to prevent sticking, add a splash of vegetable broth or water).
4. Add the minced garlic, tomato paste and flour and sauté for one minute stirring constantly. It will appear gooey and lumpy. Then add in the white wine, stirring constantly to allow the alcohol to evaporate for about one minute. Note: All the liquid will not evaporate.
5. Then add the vegetable broth, water, petite diced tomatoes and the Spice/Herb mix, whisk well to combine all the ingredients, then stir in the baking soda and allow the mixture to thicken. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the stove.
6. Finally add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and mushrooms, mix well to coat everything. Sprinkle the top lightly with some additional sea salt and black pepper. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, then place in a preheated 400 F oven and roast for 40 minutes.
7. After 40 minutes, remove from the oven and gently mix in the cannellini beans, cover and return to the oven for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are perfectly tender.
8. After 5 minutes, remove from the oven, remove the lid and allow the heat to escape for approx. 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
9. Sprinkle individual portions with some freshly chopped parsley and red pepper flakes.

*Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.

*Flour: We used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all-purpose baking flour blend. You can use the flour of your choice.

*Russet Potato Wedges: We cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, then we cut each half into 3rds lengthwise. In other words, each potato is cut into 6ths lengthwise to get potato wedges. Feel free to cut the potatoes into any size you wish, adjust the oven time accordingly.

*Baking Soda: The baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes. We use it in this dish to remove some of the tomato acidity without losing the tomatoey flavor. When you add it, the mixture may bubble up, then settle down as it neutralizes the acidity.

*Dried Thyme Crushed Leaves: We use Penzeys French Thyme. It has amazing flavor. If you can’t find dried crushed thyme leaves, you can use ground thyme, but use half the amount.

*Dried Crushed Fennel: We loved fennel. You can leave it out if you are not a fan. We really enjoyed the extra dimension it added to this French dish. Feel free to adjust the amount accordingly to suit your personal preferences.

*Saffron: We love saffron; however, we know it can be an acquired taste with its slightly bitter notes at the backend of the palate. You can leave it out if you are not a fan or it can also be price prohibitive as it is quite expensive. If you have it on hand and enjoy it, use it.

*White Wine: We used Vegan Sovereign Blanc White Wine, or any vegan dry white wine will work equally well. The white wine flavor adds an extra layer of flavor. The alcohol burns off/reduces, and you are left with this beautiful nuance of flavor. You do not have to add the white wine, you will need to slightly ramp up the flavors if you leave it out and add ¼ cup of broth or water to replace the liquid.

*Mushrooms: You can use just about any type of mushroom you like. We used whole Baby Bella mushrooms. You can slice them or leave them whole. We enjoyed leaving them whole.

*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Serving: Makes 4-5 servings.

*Storage: Refrigerate and use within 5 days.