End of Summer Stew

This beef stew is designed to use up whatever the garden throws at you in late August and September. Twelve fresh tomatoes, corn cut from the cob, green beans, peas, yellow summer squash, potatoes, carrots, and celery all go into the pot with browned stewing beef for a stew that tastes like the whole garden in one bowl.

The vegetables go in at staggered times, which is the smart move. Potatoes and carrots need 30 minutes to get tender, while the squash only needs 10 to 15. Adding everything at once would leave the squash as mush by the time the potatoes cook through.

Browning the beef first in the Dutch oven builds a fond on the bottom of the pot that dissolves into the tomato liquid, giving the broth a deep, meaty richness you can’t get from raw meat dropped into liquid. That hour of simmering with just the tomatoes, onions, and garlic tenderizes the beef before the vegetables even enter the picture.

A teaspoon of sugar at the end balances the acidity of all those fresh tomatoes. Fresh parsley stirred in right before serving keeps its color and bright flavor.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you have. End-of-season garden tomatoes at peak ripeness make the best broth.
• Cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces within each type so they cook evenly.
• The recipe is forgiving. Swap, add, or leave out vegetables based on what you actually have. Canned or frozen work in a pinch.
• This stew gets better overnight. Make it a day ahead and reheat for deeper, more melded flavors.

Variations

• Add zucchini alongside the yellow squash for a mix of summer squash.
• Stir in a handful of fresh basil with the parsley for a more herby finish.
• Use lamb stew meat instead of beef for a richer, slightly gamier version.