Stew screams fall to me. While some home cooks shy away from the labor-intensive dish I happen to love the way a piping-hot pot of stew fills the house with incredible aromas on a chilly fall evening.
If you are one of those people who love the taste of a hearty helping of stew, but can’t stand the prep work that goes into making it, might I suggest setting aside a single Sunday afternoon to make this incredible recipe. It was created by the folks at Martha Stewart Living, though I tweaked it a bit to conform to the tastes of my own family (you are welcome to do the same). It does include quite a number of ingredients and you can’t just slap it together in 30 minutes, but believe me this hearty Autumn Stew is well worth the effort.
AUTUMN STEW
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces Italian sausage (hot or mild depending on your preference)
1 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
1 bunch of your favorite fresh herbs (use rosemary, thyme or herbs of your choice)
2 1/2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
3 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch pieces
3 parsnips, peeled and cut in 2 inch long slices
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut in 1/4 inch think slices
5 stalks of celery cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Cut sausage into small chunks and cook in oil, stirring until it breaks into small pieces and is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons rendered fat and discard. Raise heat to medium high.
Add the onions and cook, stirring until golden, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, stock or broth and herbs and simmer over medium heat until it starts to thicken, 20 to 25 minutes.
Add sausage, squash, carrots, parsnips, celery and fennel. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid thickens, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Season with salt and pepper and serve.
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