One of our family’s all-time winter favorites is having a simmering, gently bubbling pot of stew infuse the house with its mouthwateringly rich aroma. So easy too when having some friends over for dinner.
Chuck it all in a pot, add liquid, and off you go do other things while magic unfolds. You can tailor a stew to any pallet. Hot, spicy or kid-friendly, all-veggie or meaty, whatever you feel like, there are umpteen choices out there. Mine below is a meaty one this time, using fresh, grass-fed buffalo meat from our local farm less than a mile away.
Add fresh veggies from the local farmer’s market, and we can proudly serve a locally sourced dish. Almost. Feel free to add your own veggie combination. I often go by what’s available at the market, and what’s in my fridge that needs to be eaten! I tend to follow a “the more the merrier” motto, so my ingredients list is usually pretty lengthy. Feel free to improvise on that one.
- 1 lb ground grass-fed buffalo meat (can substitute with any other ground meat)
- 1 cup cooked red kidney beans (or 1 15oz can)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 carrots, cubed
- 2 turnips, cubed
- 3 yellow beets, cubed (can use red too, adds more color to dish)
- 3-4 celery stalks, sliced
- bunch of swiss chard (or any other leafy greens)
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes with basil (Muir Glen Organics cans have BPA-free lining)
- Spices: celtic sea salt, black pepper, paprika, chili powder, pinch of cayenne pepper, swig of balsamic vinegar
- Avocado slivers and parsley for garnish
- Sweat off onions and garlic in some olive oil (EVOO), add the meat and quickly brown. Turn down heat, add all veggies except swiss chard. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, then add crushed tomatoes, fill empty can with water and add to pot together with spices. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add beans, and after a further 5 minutes, swiss chard. Add more spices to taste if necessary. Add more water if desired.
- Serve with avocado slices and chopped parsley
