Slow Cooker Beefless Stew

I debated posting this stew recipe, seeing that it is so last season and all. In the end, I decided it isn't too late. After all, if you're like me, you haven't been able to shed the winter coat yet. If you're like me turnips and cabbage keep finding their way into your shopping cart (there is nothing wrong with a turnip and cabbage obsession, by the way). If you're like me, you have a bag of frozen pearl onions that will succumb to freezer burn if they don't get into a stew, right. now. If you're like me you have always wanted the perfect crock pot meal that is easy to set up and can handle long cooking times while you are gone at work all day.

If you're like me, you'll make this stew, and you'll love it.


Slow Cooker Beefless Stew
Serves 6

16 oz traditional seitan chunks (homemade or store bought)
1 heaping cup of frozen pearl onions
2 ribs of celery, chopped into 1" chunks
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1" chunks
2 cups of turnips, chopped into 1" chunks (or potatoes)
1/4 head of cabbage, cut into 3 or 4 separate wedges (do not separate layers)
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups vegetable stock (beef flavored veg stock would work well here if you have it)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tamari
pepper

Combine red wine, vegetable stock, garlic and herbs in a crock pot, whisk to combine. Add seitan, onions, celery, carrots, turnips, and cabbage wedges. The seitan and veggies won't be fully submerged in the cooking liquid, however if they are sticking out more than an inch add a little more broth. Cook on low for at least 6 hours. (I was away from home for 11 hours and was afraid the pot would have turned to mush, but it did not!).

Remove bay leaves. Ladle out 1 cup of the cooking liquid into a small bowl and whisk in the chickpea flour. Add back into the pot, along with the worcestershire sauce, tamari, and a bit of fresh cracked pepper. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

---

Not into seitan? Try my New Year's Stew, which features black-eyed peas and collard greens instead!

New Year's Stew

It was just last year that I learned of the southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas and greens on New Year's Day for good luck. Lucky or not, count me in for any tradition that involves eating these most adorable, delicious little beans!

This stew is hearty, with a rich beef flavored broth. The beans and greens meet in the pot with pearl onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, turnips, and fresh herbs. You may sub chopped onion for the pearl onions, and potatoes for the turnips, if you prefer. My stew is inspired by the seitan based Beefless Stew on Vegan Good Things.

Much love, and a little luck, to you and yours in the New Year!


New Year's Stew
Serves 4 generously

2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 oz pearl onions, peeled (use pre-peeled frozen onions for super convenience)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
10 cremini or or white button mushrooms, quartered
2 ribs of celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried, chopped)
2 tsp fresh sage leaves, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
3 tbsp flour
3 cups vegetarian beef broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup dry red wine
4 medium turnips, peeled and chopped
2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce 
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
5 collard green leaves, center rib removed, and chopped (or turnip greens, or kale)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in celery, carrots, and herbs and saute for 3 more minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, and then slowly stir in the broth and red wine. Turn up heat to bring to a boil.

Add turnips and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the turnips and other veggies are tender to your liking. Stir in the black-eyed peas, greens, and worcestershire sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with a side of brown rice.

---

Making this stew was a good excuse to try out a few of my new toys from Christmas. Check out this beauty that Steve gave me, my first piece of enameled cast iron cookware! *Swoon* This 6 quart dutch oven is made by Lodge, and is much more affordable than Le Creuset. You can even fool everyone if you buy the Le Creuset knob! Amazon recommends the Le Creuset knob as an accompanying purchase to the Lodge dutch oven, which made me laugh! No new knob for me, I am a proud Lodge owner.

To accompany my stew I made a pot of brown rice in my new rice cooker. What a handy fun little gadget! The rice turned out perfect.

I also got to play around with my favorite gift of all, a hand-me-down digital SLR from my little brother! He has moved on to bigger and better cameras, so he decided to give me his older Canon 30D. I have so much to learn about using the camera and editing the photos, but I am on my way! I am looking forward to some serious photography in the coming year!

Well, and some not so serious photography, too..

Am I a horrible person?

Signing out for 2010. I hope you have a very Happy New Year, and I'll catch you in 2011!