Hearty winter vegetable stew
You can buy packs of soup & broth mix in most supermarkets, which is a mixture of dried pulses, pearl barley and rice. I find it a very useful base for comforting winter soups and stews. It’s also super healthy, full of fibre and vitamins. I made this hearty winter vegetable stew in the pressure cooker (so it took only 15 minutes to cook) but you can use a slow-cooker or just let it simmer in a pan for an hour or so on the stove. Serve it with crusty, wholesome bread.
Ingredients
Method
- Finely slice the onion and roughly chop the garlic.
- Peel the squash, carrot & beetroot, then chop them into bite-sized chunks.
- Heat the olive oil in a big pot or pressure cooker.
- Gently sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add the chopped vegetables, garlic & spices, then cook for a minutes. Add the mixed pulses, stir for a minute and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil and put the lid on. Turn the heat down and simmer gently for about 60-90 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the barley/rice has cooked through. Alternatively, if you’re using a pressure cooker, secure the lid onto the pan, and pressure-cook for 15 minutes then rest until the lid can be released.
- Finely chop cabbage and stir into the stew together with the beans. Cook for 5 more minutes, then rest for a further five minutes under a lid.
- Stir in the cider vinegar.
- Serve warm with a dollop of crème faiche/yogurt/kefir/sour crème/vegan cream, if liked.