Using the Garden Bounty

Here's a post to inaugurate Robin's new weekly THURSDAY KITCHEN CUPBOARD at The Gardener of Eden.

Though I'm not a canner I do like to use my vegetables and freeze that bounty in many different ways.  Here's a wonderful stew that I had in fact last night from my frozen supply.

MEXICAN VEGETABLE STEW

(Originally for "Quick Vegetarian Pleasures" By Jeanne Lemlin [Harper Perennial, 1992] as reprinted in The Baltimore Sun about that same time)

1/4 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 large onions, diced

1 tsp ground cumin

3 cups chopped tomatoes or 28 oz can

8 cups vegetable stock

1/2 tsp salt

freshly ground pepper

2 carrots sliced thinly

3 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into sixths then 1 inch chunks

2 cups freshly cooked kidney beans or 15 oz can, rinsed and drained

2 cups fresh or canned corn

grated cheddar cheese (optional)

corn or tortilla chips (optional)  

1.  In a 6-8 qt pot, heat the oil and saute onions, garlic and cumin stirring often: 10 min.

2. Add tomatoes and their juice, vegetable stock, salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil.

3. Add carrots cook 15 min then zucchini and cook 5 - 10 min then add kidney beans and corn and cook 2 more minutes.

4.  Remove 2 cups and puree, then return to pot.  This thickens the stew. 

5.  Taste to adjust seasonings.

6. Serve with broken chips on top and a sprinkling of cheese.