Improvised Vegetable Stew

The real star of this stew is the onions, and they need a full hour of your patience. Two pounds of sliced onions cook low and slow in a non-stick skillet with just a splash of veggie stock, gradually turning from sharp and raw to deeply sweet and caramel-colored. A hit of red wine or balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan scrapes up all those sticky brown bits.

Meanwhile, chunked eggplant, butternut squash, potato, and bell pepper get a quick sear in a dry non-stick skillet, then roast in the oven until tender. The vegetables cook separately from the onions so each develops its own flavor and texture before everything comes together.

Turmeric, cumin, ginger, and chili powder give this a warm, almost North African character without overwhelming the sweet roasted vegetables. Canned tomatoes with their juice tie everything into a saucy stew.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut all vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook evenly in the oven
• Don’t stir the onions too often; letting them sit develops deeper caramelization
• Deglaze the onion pan when things start sticking; that brown fond is pure flavor
• The stew thickens as it sits and tastes even better the next day once the spices have permeated

Variations

• Add chickpeas: Stir in a can of drained chickpeas when combining everything for extra protein
• Moroccan twist: Add a pinch of cinnamon and a handful of raisins with the spices
• Coconut version: Stir in ½ cup coconut milk at the end for a creamy, milder stew