Stew: A dish of meat and vegetables cooked slowly in liquid in a closed pan. Quintessential winter food.
A pot of stew simmering long and slowly on the stove warms both the kitchen and the soul. But the traditional beef or lamb ragout that so readily comes to mind isn’t all there is. Stew is more than meat and potatoes in brown sauce.
The “new stew,” as I call it, comes together much like the old classic, but is lighter and less meaty than grandma’s version. It is often vegetarian, relying on chunky vegetables for heft, and bright, bold spicing for spark. Maybe it is something like a Mediterranean ratatouille, with eggplant and red pepper slow-cooked until they seem to melt. Or a Middle Eastern stew that derives its luxurious richness from the starches released by lentils, chickpeas or lima beans cooked in broth over low heat.
Layering flavours and textures is the key to cooking interesting stews. Sometimes, I toss cut-up vegetables (such as cauliflower, carrots, sweet potato, red onion or winter squash) in olive oil, salt and whole spices and then roast them in a high-heat oven until the edges are dark and almost charred before adding them to the stew pot. (The roasting coaxes extra flavour out of them.)
It’s exciting, too, to include ingredients that are unexpected. Coconut milk—borrowed from south Indian and Thai curries—adds a sweet creaminess. Grated ginger, Thai curry paste, miso, chopped anchovies or tomato paste whisked in as onions and garlic are sautéing add another dimension, and a hit of umami.
At the end, I might whisk in a spoonful of Dijon mustard, or maybe a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon or lime juice, just for the zing.
The downside to old-school stews is their boring brown colour. But there are plenty of ways to make both meat and vegetable-based stews look as beautiful as they taste. A teaspoon of turmeric, for instance, turns the sauce golden. A handful of fresh chopped parsley, mint, dill or cilantro stirred in just before serving lends a fresh green hue. Nobody thinks of garnish when it comes to stew. But a spoonful of toasted, chopped nuts or sunflower or sesame seeds scattered on top adds crunch and texture.
Here are three of my favourite new stews:
Chickpea, Tomato and Pasta Stew
This is a simple recipe for my version of the hearty southern Italian classic pasta e ceci.
Serves 4 to 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 cups (1.5 L) chicken or vegetable broth
1 796-mL can whole tomatoes
1 cup (250 mL) dried small pasta (such as ditalini or macaroni)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 540-mL can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups (500 mL) chopped spinach or kale
Salt and pepper, to taste
Finely grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in the broth, tomatoes, pasta, oregano and chickpeas, breaking up the tomatoes and some of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon or a potato masher.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. The water will mostly be absorbed by the pasta. If you prefer it brothier, you can add a little more water or broth and simmer until warmed through, a minute more.
- Add the kale or spinach and continue to simmer just until the greens are wilted (a minute or two). Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese.
Lemony Chicken with Artichokes and Olives
This dish is a stovetop marvel—marinated chicken thighs braised in a sauce with artichokes and olives. The finished dish is most deeply flavoured when the chicken marinates overnight, but it will also be fine if all you’ve got is an hour or so.
Serves 4 to 6
1 lemon
¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
8 fresh sage leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6 anchovy fillets, mashed with a fork
3 tbsp capers
¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ tsp red chili pepper flakes
1 onion, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) chicken broth
1 cup (250 mL) marinated artichokes, drained
½ cup (125 mL) pitted green olives, cut in half
- Finely grate the zest of the lemon and reserve in a covered container in the fridge. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze it to get about ¼ cup (60 mL) of juice.
- In a shallow baking dish, combine the lemon juice, 2 tbsp of the olive oil and the garlic, sage leaves, salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs and coat thoroughly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge and place in a sieve set over a bowl to catch the marinade. While the marinade is draining, combine the mashed anchovy, capers, parsley, chili pepper flakes and reserved lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, sauté the onion in the remaining oil over medium-high heat, stirring, until tender and lightly coloured, about 5 minutes. Add the drained chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes, then flip over and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the reserved marinade back to the pan along with the anchovy-caper mixture, chicken broth, artichokes and olives. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover the pan and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the liquid has thickened into a sauce.
Smoky Seafood Stew
This is a simplified Provençale bouillabaisse which incorporates smoked mackerel fillet; its smoky, salty flavour lends the dish a wintery allure. To make things even easier, I use frozen shelled mussels and shrimp, thawed, from the seafood section at the supermarket.
Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup (125 mL) white wine
2 8-ounce (240-mL) bottles clam juice
2 cups (500 mL) vegetable broth
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 lb (450 g) mussels
1 lb (450 g) small shrimp, peeled
8 ounces (225 g) smoked mackerel, torn into bite-sized pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh parsley
- Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add onion and celery and cook over medium-high heat until softened and lightly coloured, about five minutes.
- Add garlic and bay leaves and cook for another minute. Whisk in flour, and cook for 2 minutes, then add wine and cook another five minutes, until reduced by half.
- Add clam juice, vegetable stock and potatoes. Continue cooking, covered, for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- Add mussels, shrimp and smoked mackerel, lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes or until mussels have opened and shrimp is pink and cooked through, about five minutes.
- Season generously with pepper and serve in individual bowls, garnished with parsley. •
Originally published in the Winter 2020 issue.
All photography by Susan Semenak
