Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• •⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil
• •10 cloves garlic
• •3 onions
• •3 cups bell peppers
• •1½ cups carrots
• •½ cup celery
• •2 cups eggplant
• •½ cup green beans
• •2 squash
• •1 zucchini
• •4 tomatoes
• •1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• •1 teaspoon cumin
• •4 teaspoons kosher salt
• •1 teaspoon oregano
• •2 cans kidney beans
• •8 ounces brown lentils

Method

Adapted from foodista.com

1. 1Cut an eggplant into rounds.
2. 2Lay the eggplant on a paper towel and sprinkle with kosher salt.
3. 3After about 15 minutes, dice and add to the stew.
4. 4Remove the skins from the tomato. If you have a soft skin peeler, you can use it to remove the skins. Otherwise, you can blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, scoring the tops first, and then removing the skins.
5. 5Cook the lentils in boiling water for 8 minutes, drain and run under cool water.
6. 6In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on a medium heat.
7. 7Saute the garlic for just a minute.
8. 8Add the onions.
9. 9Season with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
10. 10Cook for about 10 minutes.
11. 11Begin adding the other vegetables gradually, starting with the peppers, carrots and squash.
12. 12When all the vegetables are in the stew, add the thyme, cumin, salt and oregano.
13. 13Let the vegetables simmer until tender as a stock begins to form.
14. 14Mix in the lentils and kidney beans.
15. 15Simmer for as long as you have, up to an hour and a half.