Eintopf von Wintergemüsen (winter vegetable stew)
A thick, one-pot stew built from whatever root vegetables are sitting in the cellar in January, potato, carrot, celeriac, swede and leek, simmered together until the potato starts to break down and thicken the broth on its own. There is no single defining vegetable here, the point is using up what winter storage has left rather than following a fixed list.
Prep20 min
Cook40 min
Servings4
Christoph's winter vegetable stew, whatever root vegetables the cellar has left rather than a fixed list, simmered until the potato thickens the broth on its own.
Ingredients
Written for a 4 L pot
Units
Temperature
Servings
Stew
- 300 g floury potatoes, peeled, in 2 cm chunks rounded
- 200 g carrot, peeled, in chunks rounded
- 200 g celeriac, peeled, in chunks rounded
- 250 g swede, peeled, in chunks rounded
- 150 g leek, sliced into rings, well rinsed rounded
- 150 g onion, finely chopped rounded
- 30 g neutral oil rounded
- 1 1/6 L vegetable broth rounded
- 2 bay leaves rounded
- 2 g dried marjoram rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
- to taste freshly ground black pepper rounded
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped, at the table (optional) rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sweat the onion and leek with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, until softened but not coloured.
- Add the potato, carrot, celeriac and swede. Stir to coat in the oil and sweat a further 3 minutes.
- Pour in the broth, add the bay leaves and marjoram. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat until barely bubbling.
- Simmer 30 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened slightly from the starch released by the potato and swede.
- Fish out the bay leaves. Season generously with salt and pepper; root vegetable stews need more salt than expected to taste of anything. Scatter with parsley at the table.
Method in the Thermomix
Written for a TM5 or TM6, 2.2 litre bowl.
- Onion and leek into the dry bowl. Chop 3 sec / speed 5. Add the oil. Sauté 5 min / 100°C / speed 1, measuring cup off.
- Add the potato, carrot, celeriac and swede, in chunks. Chop briefly 2 sec / speed 4 if you want smaller, more uniform pieces, or leave in chunks for a rustic stew.
- Add the broth, bay leaves and marjoram. Cook 30 min / 100°C / reverse / speed 1, simmering basket on the lid in place of the measuring cup.
- Remove the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, mix 5 sec / reverse / speed 1 to combine without breaking the vegetables up further.
Notes
- This is a use-it-up stew, not a fixed recipe. Swap the root vegetables for whatever winter storage has on hand; the technique, sweat, simmer, let the potato thicken the broth, works with almost any combination.
- Cut the vegetables to a similar size so they finish cooking together rather than some turning to mush while others stay firm.
- The broth thickens from the vegetables’ own starch as they break down slightly at the edges. There is no need for flour or cornstarch here.
- It is better the next day, and freezes well for up to 3 months.
Ingredient substitutions
- Swede can be parsnip or extra potato if unavailable.
- Celeriac is the vegetable worth keeping if you have to cut the list down; it gives the stew most of its character.
- A sliced smoked sausage, added in the last 10 minutes, is a common non-vegetarian addition.
From Christoph Mayer