Vegetable Stew Giambotta A La Rachael Ray Food

VEGETABLE STEW (GIAMBOTTA)

Steps:

• Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat.
• Add extra-virgin olive oil, bay, chopped garlic and onions and let them sweat out while you prepare the rest of the veggies.
• Work next to the stove and drop as you chop, in order of longest cooking time: potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper.
• Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Uncover and add tomatoes and stock and cook 5 minutes more, to heat through.
• Turn heat off and stir in basil.

VEGETABLE STEW (GIAMBOTTA) A LA RACHAEL RAY

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat.
• Add extra-virgin olive oil, bay, chopped garlic and onions and let them sweat out while you prepare the rest of the veggies.
• Work next to the stove and drop as you chop, in order of longest cooking time: potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper.
• Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Uncover and add tomatoes and stock and cook 5 minutes more, to heat through.
• Turn heat off and stir in basil(we don't use basil here -- instead we add Italian Seasoning and some parsley)
• Char bread under broiler and rub with cracked garlic then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, top with cheese and pepper and return to the broiler for 30 seconds to brown cheese.
• Serve cheese whole-grain toast with bowls of vegetable stew.

VEGETABLE STEW WITH POTATO AND CHEESE PANCAKES

Steps:

• In a medium pot over moderate heat saute garlic and mushrooms in extra-virgin olive oil for 2 or 3 minutes. Add zucchini and onion to the pot and season vegetables with salt and pepper. Saute another 5 minutes. Add beans, cumin, tomato and chopped rosemary. Bring stew to a bubble, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a thin layer of olive oil or vegetable oil to the pan, just enough to coat the bottom. Combine potatoes with onions and flour. Mix in shredded cheese. Spoon piles of potato and cheese mixture into the pan, making 3-inch rounds, 1-inch apart. Cook cakes until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove cooked cakes and repeat process.
• Arrange cakes, 3 per person, on dinner plates and top with ladles of mushroom and zucchini stew.

GIAMBOTTA

Steps:

• Heat skillet over medium heat.
• Add oil and coat pan.
• Add garlic and cook until soft, but not brown.
• Drain liquid from tomatoes and reserve.
• Add tomatoes and oregano to pan and cook 20-30 minutes over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
• While tomatoes are cooking parboil potatoes and beans separately (I've nuked potatoes in the micro and obtained satisfactory results- it's quicker than boiling).
• Drain cooked (al dente preferably) beans and add them to the tomato mixture.
• Cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes and add to sauce.
• Cook for another 5-10 minutes (if the mixture needs more moisture or you just prefer this dish saucier you can add some of the reserved liquid at this stage).
• Salt and pepper to taste.

GIAMBOTTA

Steps:

• Sweat the garlic, onion and salt in the oil for 5-7 minutes on a low heat in a covered pan. Stir frequently.
• While that is sweating, chop up the vegetables. First add the eggplant, then potatoes, fennel, pepper, zuchinni, and tomatoes.
• Sprinkle in the dried basil now, but save the fresh to add at the end if using that.
• Increase heat and simmer for 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

CIAMBOTTA (ITALIAN VEGETABLE STEW)

Steps:

• PESTATA: Process all ingredients in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute, scraping sides as necessary. Set aside.
• STEW: Toss eggplant with 1½ teaspoons salt in a bowl. Line surface of large plate with double layer of coffee filters or some parchment and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over coffee filters. Microwave eggplant, uncovered, until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, 8 to 12 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure that eggplant cooks evenly.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add eggplant, onion, and potatoes; cook, stirring frequently, until eggplant browns and surface of potatoes becomes translucent, about 2 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of pot; add 1 tablespoon oil and tomato paste to clearing. Cook paste, stirring frequently, until brown fond develops on bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water and chopped tomatoes and juice, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and gently simmer until eggplant is completely broken down and potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking. Add zucchini, bell peppers, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet; add pestata and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir pestata into vegetables and transfer vegetables to bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup water to skillet off heat, scraping up browned bits.
• Remove pot from heat and stir reserved vegetables and water from skillet into vegetables in Dutch oven. Cover pot and let stand for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Stir in basil and season with salt to taste; serve.