Cook With Us #26 {Double the Potatoes Stew--Vegan & Allium-Free}

Hey there everyone! Who else is super excited that the @cookwithus crew is back for another season??!! Yep, @chefsteve, @pandamama and @offoodandart are back to help facilitate the sharing of copious amounts of delicious recipes cooked by all kinds of fantastic Steemians. And to really top off the excitement, the first week's theme is root vegetables! For this potato-loving gal, it just doesn't get much better.

I would be hard-pressed to pick my absolute favorite vegetable, but potatoes probably top the list. To be fair, I really enjoy most any root veggie but the humble spud just hits the spot in my belly and my heart. Sweet, purple, red-skinned, Yukon Gold, or the standard baking potato--I'll happily eat them all. I enjoy them cooked every which way, and they fuel my active lifestyle very well. Me and spuds go way back, too. Potatoes were one of the few vegetables I liked growing up, though I think the way I enjoy them now is probably a good bit healthier than I did back then.

This particular dish really is not fancy, nor does it require any special kitchen skills or equipment. I think part of why I love potatoes is that they are just a simple, common food that anyone can work with so I tried to honor that in this week's entry. At least in my neck of the woods, you can find then in every part of the country so they are a staple in almost any region. They are like a loyal friend that always has my back when I need a satisfying yet easy meal.

I did incorporate a root vegetable that is maybe not quite as common, at least in my family. Fennel has now become much more of a staple in my cooking than it ever used to be because my older sister has a sensitivity to onions (and other alliums like garlic). Luckily I really enjoy the flavor of fennel, and it provides a very similar texture to replace onions in recipes when I am cooking to share with her. Though I wasn't specifically making this for her, it is fun to still whip up some recipes on occasion in case other people have similar issues and need different ideas.

To round out my root choices, I used both ground turmeric and ginger in the spice mixture to flavor my stew. They might just be some of the healthiest roots of them all! Packed with antioxidants and full of anti-inflammatory and other health-promoting properties, you can't go wrong adding more of them into your weekly cooking. I may be overusing the curry-style spices lately, but they are just so good for you and make everything taste delicious. They especially help amp up the flavor when you aren't using onions and garlic.

Double the Potatoes Stew

Makes 1 Massive Pot 😉

• 1 fennel bulb, fronds trimmed for garnish, bulb cleaned & chopped
• 1" knob fresh ginger, minced
• 2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
• 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 cups water or low-sodium veggie broth
• 2 tablespoons mild white miso
• 1 lime, juice

Heat a large stock pot over medium on your stove top. Add the fennel and fresh ginger to the pot. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the fennel is starting to soften. Add a tablespoon or two of water and stir as needed to prevent sticking.

Once the fennel is ready, sprinkle in your spices (turmeric through pepper) and cook for about a minute. Next add in both of the potatoes and the lentils. Stir, then pour in your water or broth. Add a bit more water if needed to completely cover the vegetables. Bring just to a boil, then partially cover and let simmer for 45 minutes.

Once the potatoes and lentils have cooked through, remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the miso and lime juice, then use an immersion blender to puree the mixture to your liking (or carefully use a blender). Taste and adjust flavors as you like. I left some chunks for a hearty stew. Spoon out into a bowl and garnish with the fennel fronds.

Enjoy!

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