hearty "beef" style stew

on a cold, rainy fall evening there is nothing better than cooking up a big batch of a hearty stew.  something that will stick to your bones and keep you warm...thyme, carrots, garlic
all stand out in  this warm, flavorful favorite.

i do miss my mother's stew, so i had to figure out a vegan version of my own.  i'd say this turned out pretty damn good. 

the dry sherry is an absolute MUST in this dish.

hearty “beef” style stew w/ creamy smashed potatoes

serves 4-6

1 large can roasted muck duck (you can use 3-4 large portabellas if you are avoiding gluten)

3 carrots – cut into 1in. pieces

3 celery ribs – cut into 1in. pieces

1 small yellow onion – chopped

1-cup small peas

2 cups green beans

2 cloves garlic – chopped

4 cups broth (veggie or mushroom)

½ cup dry sherry

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

5 medium russet potatoes

½ cup non-dairy creamer

2 tbsp earth balance

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp gravy darkener (bouquet is the brand I use)

salt and pepper

in a medium pot add 1 tbsp olive oil, onion and garlic, sauté for 5-6 minutes.  add your carrots and celery and cook for another 7-8 minutes.  you can now add your broth and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

in the meantime, in a large pot, add 1 tbsp olive oil and mock duck.  sauté for 8-10 minutes, browning just a bit.  add your dry sherry and cook down.  now add your flour so that a thick coat surrounds the mock duck.

you can now pour your stock with veggies into the pot with the roasted mock duck and add your peas, beans, thyme and bay leaf.

bring to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes.  if need be, add a little  gravy darkener to get it to a rich brown color.

in another large pot, add your potatoes and 1 tsp salt to water and bring to a boil for 10-15 minutes or until soft.

remove from heat; drain and add 2 tbsp earth balance and your non-dairy creamer.  mash together very well.  add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside until ready to serve.

when the stew is thick and ready to serve, remove the bay leaf, ladle a cup over the fresh smashed potatoes and garnish with fresh parsley (if you choose to).

serve with a pinot noir.

enjoy!

Comments

[Lauren]

i made this last week minus the mock duck (i subbed mushrooms.) it was lovely. perfect for a dreary fall day. come to find out, my husband (who is an omni) doesn't usually even like beef stew, but he liked this! thanks for the recipe.

Lauren

[Meagan]

nicole- thank you so much!! Glad to hear it works for both you AND your partner!!

take care-
M

[nicole]

seriously, you're the best cook on the internet.
i made this stew last night and my partner said he could happily eat it every other day.

[Trinity]

Mmm! That looks so hearty and a-maz-ing.