Summer Vegetable Stew
- Serving Size: 4 – 6
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes
I think a vegetable garden is one of the most rewarding things a person can do for the spring and summer seasons. The warm smell of freshly tilled earth, the lush green as the garden starts to flourish, followed by the abundant crops of tomatoes, corn, summer squash, and whatever else you may have planted and grown for the season. This dish, one of my mother’s inventions, was a perennial family favorite growing up. The variations on it are almost endless with just about any vegetable in the garden able to be incorporated into the stew. It is also completely vegetarian and low in fat, with only 2 tablespoons of oil for the whole recipe. Served with sweet French bread and a crisp white wine it is a wonderfully hearty yet refreshing meal in itself.
| Amount | Measure | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | large | russet potato peeled and sliced 1/8″ thick |
| 1 | large | green (unripe) tomato quartered and sliced |
| 1 | large | ripe tomato quartered and sliced |
| 3 | medium | zucchini sliced into ¼” rounds |
| 2 | yellow squash sliced into ¼” rounds | |
| 1/2 | lbs | string beans |
| 1 | cup | corn |
| 8 | medium | okra, sliced |
| 2 | wax peppers (optional) | |
| 1 | medium | yellow onion sliced into julienne (“matchsticks”) |
| 2 | cloves | garlic, crushed |
| 2 | tablespoon | vegetable oil |
| Salt and pepper to Taste |
To prepare:
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering hot. Add the potato slices and sauté approximately 10 minutes. Next, add the onion, crushed garlic, string beans, okra, and wax peppers. Sauté mixture, stirring occasionally approximately 5 minutes. Add the squash, corn and tomatoes and sauté until vegetables are tender but still vibrant, approximately 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, serve as is or top with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.
