Smoky Arrabiata Vegetable Stew

If you are not already aware, I detest food waste and will always try to create meals out of foods deemed past their best. This dish arose because we had a few wrinkly peppers, some sweet potatoes that had been a bit battered, some bendy carrots and some remaining cheese scones from our Community Pantry that had gone a bit dry (scones make fab makeshift dumplings to go on top of stews).

Although arrabiata is a traditional Italian spicy tomato based sauce, feel free to make this your own and adapt the amount of chilli you add or omit it altogether. Also, if you don’t like the smokiness of the paprika, reduce or omit this too. Recipes are there to adapt!

I hope you enjoy it as much as we all did.

Jo x

SMOKY ARRABIATA VEGETABLE STEW

Joanne Iceton

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Course Main Course

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp. rapeseed oil I used the oil from the sundried tomatoes, but use whatever you have
• 1 red onion cut into chunks
• 2 - 3 garlic cloves crushed (or 2 - 3 tsp. garlic paste)
• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• Large pinch chilli flakes
• 2 medium sweet potatoes scrubbed then chopped into 1.5 cm chunks (or use 2 - 3 carrots, cut into chunks)
• 2 peppers (any colour) chopped into large chunks
• 4 sundried tomatoes chopped (optional)
• 1 400 g cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 100 g pitted olives - halved for little ones optional
• 4 - 6 cheese scones
• Handful fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

 

• Add the oil to a large lidded pan and heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook on medium until softened.
• Stir in the garlic, paprika, thyme, chilli flakes then add the sweet potato/carrots and peppers cooking until the pepper is softened slightly.
• Stir in both type of tomatoes, vinegar, and olives then half fill the empty can of tomatoes with water and add that too. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cover. Cook for 10 - 15 mins until the sweet potato is fully cooked.
• Press the scones halfway into the stew, cover and simmer until the scones are heated through.
• Serve scattered with the chopped parsley.

Notes

The beauty in dishes such as this that you can substitute the veg with what you have.

No onions? Use leeks or even a bunch of spring onions.

Use 500 - 600kg of veg if you don’t have peppers or sweet potato - try courgettes, cauliflower, aubergine, parsnips, turnip/swede etc.

You can also add protein to this by adding a can of butter beans (include the juice and omit the water).

If wishing to add meat, use 300g, adding this at the same time as the onion and cook until browned.

Instead of scones, you may wish to serve this with pasta. Use 100g dry pasta shapes per person, cook as directed then stir through.

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Nutritional Benefits:

Tomatoes contain vitamins C and E, anticancer properties and may ease symptoms of asthma.  Adding fat (as in olive or  vegetable oil) boosts the absorption of the valuable antioxidant lycopene and vitamins further.

Onions are truly a superfood containing vitamin C and  compounds which have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial  properties, and may help to reduce the risk of heart  disease as well as regulating insulin response (insulin resistance is often a precursor to developing type 2  diabetes).

Peppers are a rich source of vitamin C (for healthy cells and to absorb iron), E (for healthy cells and circulation) and B6 and again have anti-cancer properties.

Sweet potatoes are high in soluble fibre, antioxidants beta carotene and vitamins A, C and E as well as filling. They help keep blood sugar levels regulated so are excellent to prevent insulin resistance which is the precursor to type 2 diabetes. Antioxidants help to prevent illnesses such as heart disease, inflammation, cancer and asthma.

The sulphur compounds in garlic offer many health benefits from minimising the risk of heart disease, certain cancers (colon, stomach and prostrate), can help to prevent stomach ulcers and is a natural antibiotic, antiviral and  antifungal food.