Humble stew

[Raine]

Humble stew

Ingredients

1 cup dried red beans
6 cups plus 8 cups cold water
3 cups fresh beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry red wine
8 Tbsp. margarine or butter
8 oz. onion, peeled and diced medium
4 oz. celeriac, coarsely grated
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced
4 Tbsp. flour
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 small to medium fresh beets (without greens), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 lb. peeled rutabaga cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaf
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaf
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less according to taste)
2 cups canned whole plum tomatoes (with the juice), diced medium

Method

Soak beans in 6 cups cold water for at least 4 hours. Drain and rinse beans, discarding soaking water. In a large sauce pot combine beans with 8 cups fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow beans to cook slowly for about 45 minutes. Rinse partially cooked beans in cold water to cool, drain and set aside.

Combine stock with wine and heat almost to the boiling point over a medium heat.

Melt butter in a large sauce pot, and add onion, celeriac, and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes or until onion becomes translucent. Stir in flour and continue cooking mixture over low heat for another 2 minutes. Add hot stock to this roux while stirring with a wire whisk. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens.

Add remaining vegetables, beans, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and plum tomatoes. If you have a large earthenware casserole, transfer vegetables into casserole, cover and place in a 350° oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Or simply cover the sauce pot, reduce heat to low, and cook vegetables on top of stove about 45 minutes, or until everything is tender.