The Red, White, and Green

In my real life, I’m not on food stamps (that was an experiment for last week’s Eco Etiquette column on HuffPost), but I do regularly cook up a big batch of the “kitchen sink stew” I feature in this video. It’s pretty much perfection in a pot, and it’s virtually idiot-proof: You throw in whatever combo of veggies/dried beans/meat you have on hand (preferably organic); toss in water and a can of tomato paste; stick a lid on it and turn the heat to low; and magic! Three hours later, you have the most magnificently beautiful and tasty stew you could ever imagine.

As long as you stick to the basic outline, the possibilities are endless. One of my favorite combos to date used white beans, chicken sausage, butternut squash, and rosemary (no tomato paste). It can also easily be made vegetarian — perfect for Meatless Monday.

Kitchen Sink Stew

Makes 8 servings

Swirl of extra virgin olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, peeled and diced
1 large onion
1 pound meat or vegetarian substitute (ground turkey, stew beef, sausage removed from casing, crumbled extra firm tofu — it all works!)
1 pound dried beans, any variety, rinsed and sorted (no need to soak)
Assorted chopped veggies (cabbage, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, squash — whatever!), enough to come near the top of a large pot or French oven
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
8 cups water
Assorted spices, plus salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add meat and brown on all sides (if using ground meat, stir until cooked through). Add dried beans, assorted chopped veggies, can of tomato paste, water and spices, and stir. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cook three hours, or until beans are plump yet firm and the whole thing has melded into a proper stew, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary. Serve with a side of rice, pasta, or crusty bread.

–Jennifer Grayson

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