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.
