Stew means different things to different people. The one I grew up on was a simple yet tasty combination of onion, carrot, potatoes and beef. My husband, however, says it isn’t beef stew without tomatoes and corn added into the mix. Others declare celery a must; still others swear off the carrots altogether.
All of this contradiction tells us two things: 1) Like most stews, you can change up your vegetables based on what you like or have on hand, because 2) the most important thing here is the base. As long as it’s rich and flavorful, you’ve sealed your fate to years of stew-filled Sunday suppers – or meatless Monday meals.
Get the recipe for Vegetarian Beef Stew here.
-photo by Kristi Schiffman
This article appears in October 2014.