The stew made from winter vegetables (potatoes, carrots, turnip cabbage, celery) is one of the first things I started cooking in my childhood. First, without meat, as it wasn’t that easy to find and if I ruined the stew it would have been easier to start over. The meat in my stews appeared much later, after I moved from my parents’ house and I began improvising any dish from every ingredient that I could afford. But that’s a story for another day. Let’s get back to today’s stew, which I prepared yesterday:
I washed and chopped the vegetables: potatoes, carrots, green onions, two garlic cloves, a few cherry tomatoes that were too unripe to be eaten raw, a piece of zucchini that had been left in the fridge for three days.
In a pot, I put one tablespoon of butter. I put all the vegetables, except the zucchini, cut into large pieces, in the butter. Over them, I threw some aromatic greens.
I poured one cup of water in the pot (make sure it doesn’t cover the vegetables), I sprinkled a bit of salt and pepper, put a lid on and left the pot on low heat for about 20 minutes.
I took the meat out of two fresh sausages and put it to fry, without oil or any other grease, together with the half centimeter thick zucchini slices. I sprinkled a bit of Sechuan pepper over them.
I turned the meatballs on all sides, making sure they brown nicely.
I also turned the zucchini slices from one side to the other. I took them off the stove once they were fried.
I put the meatballs in the stew from the pot and I let them boil for 10 minutes on low heat.
Here comes the different part: I plugged in the blender sent by St. Nicholas for testing. In it, I put two tablespoons of milk, a handful of green salad (salad mix, washed and aired), a few cubes of smoked goat cheese and three or four tablespoons of stew, without any meatballs. I transformed all of these into a fine paste (in 5-8 seconds).
Vitamix is an awesome tool which I will present to you soon. For the time being, we’re only getting used to it :)
Am pus rondelele de zucchini, chiftelele și bucățile de cartofi și morcovi din oală în farfuria cu cremă fină, cu aromă de vinete fripte pe grătar (de la brânza afumată vine asta). Am mâncat.
It was really, really good.
I recommend it with all my heart. If you don’t have a professional blender, you can use a regular one. It will take longer, but the reward is substantial.
Stay healthy!
Special thanks to
Oana Bodnariuc, Authorized Translator
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