I’m starting to appreciate the saying “done is better than perfect”, especially when it comes to forming habits. Sometimes making sure I’m on track is more important than creating the perfect blog entry. Sometimes the end goal is the journey, the longer I stay on the path the more likely I am to reach the destination, one step at a time.
This hearty stew comes from the good folks at Vegetarian Times. The addition of Crown beer provides a nice local touch to this St Patrick’s tribute. Great served with brown bread on the side.
- 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 200 g button or shiitake mushrooms, halved
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
- 1 medium leek, white part only, diced (1 cup)
- 3 small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (1 ½ cups)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (2 cups)
- 2 small parsnips, peeled and sliced (1 ½ cups)
- 1 ½ tsp. tomato paste
- 1 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in bundle, plus 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, divided
- ½ cup lager beer
- 1 ½ Tbs. quick-cooking tapioca
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 Tbs. white miso
- 2 Tbs. chopped parsley
1. Heat 1/2 Tbs. oil in large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned. Remove from pan. Add remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil to pot. Add leek, and cook 5 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add lager, tapioca, and mushrooms. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring often. Remove thyme sprigs, stir in cabbage and miso, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, or until cabbage softens. Stir in chopped thyme and parsley, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
mirgraphy 
Perfect for upcoming winter weather! Tapioca and white miso are interesting inclusions too!
Yup! The thing is not to leave it too long in the fridge, otherwise it starts to turn into kimchi!