Autumn Stew

Vegetarian, loads of vegetables, filling!  What's not to like?

'Chopped' means cut into pieces the size you want - mine were small bite sized pieces.  Amounts are to own liking really and you can add any veg you like.  This what I used and did.  I know it looks a lot but actually it is just what I had in.

Ingredients:
one onion peeled and chopped
one carrot, peeled and chopped
half a sweet potato, peeled and chopped
a rib of celery, cut into bits
four smallish new potatoes, cut into bits.  I didn't peel them.
a bit of butter for sauteing
a squidge of garlic puree
a squidge of chilli puree
1 can chopped tomatoes and half a can of water
a sploosh of white wine (optional but it does add to the flavour)
a vegetable stock pot or other vegetable stock.  You could add a chicken stock but it wouldn't then be vegetarian
one tsp dried mixed herbs
a handful of orange lentils
a handful of oats
salt and pepper
1 can butter beans
some chestnut (or other) mushrooms, prepared and chopped
some whole mini tomatoes

Method.
In a largish saucepan, melt the butter, add the onions and carrots and saute for a short time.  Then add the potato, sweet potato and celery and continue to saute for five minutes, stirring from time to time.
Add the garlic and chilli purees, stir well and saute for one more minute.

Add the wine, chopped tomato, water, stock, herbs, lentils and oats, salt (not too much as the stock will be salty) and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and allow the stew to simmer for as long as it takes.  The liquor will turn thick and delicious, the oats and lentils will 'disappear' and the veg will soften.

Drain the butter beans and add.  Stir well.

At this point you can stop if you are not eating it that day.  Cool, cover and pop in the fridge overnight.  The flavours will develop.

To finish off, reheat slowly, add the mushrooms and whole mini tomatoes, taste and adjust seasoning if needed and then gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes and heated through and just starting to burst.

Serve piping hot with grated cheese sprinkled over the top and crusty bread to soak up the liquid.  If you want meat, you could add shreds of ham or bacon, chicken or turkey or cut some flavoursome sausages into bits and add (just make sure they are cooked through).

It freezes well.