Sunday lunches are quite the ordeal at my house, particularly when the weather is good. We make it a point to eat out in the garden, listening to the birds chirping and talk even more, because we never tire of each other’s stories!
My dad came to me one day and asked me to make a French style stew with mushrooms. A red wine bottle made its way to us and he felt that was the best use of it! So here is a recipe that is ridiculously easy to make, adapted to the Indian ingredients, made quickly. I served it with mashed potatoes, warm bread rolls and a garlic parsley butter.
I mention using vegetable stock, but I have used plain water many times and works just great, but those times I do let it cook a bit longer. For those asking for a sub for the wine – sorry I don’t have any suggestions there!
The Recipe
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Serves: 4
Ingredients
150 g carrots
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
300 g mushrooms, halved
2 tbsp minced garlic
½ cup red wine
1 crushed tomato
4-5 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
100 ml vegetable stock approx. (See notes above)
4-5 whole black pepper
1 ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Cut the carrots into thick sticks with length of 2 inches
In a deep pot pan, warm the olive oil and butter and add the carrots and onions and cook for 10 minutes
Then add the garlic, mushrooms and tomato puree and salt and cook for 15 minutes, on high heat
Once mushrooms are soft, add the red wine and stir.
Simmer for few minutes then add the thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, salt and vegetable stock and cook for 10-15 minutes, placing a lid half way through
Serve hot
Alternately, you can transfer to an oven safe pot with a lid and bake for the last 10 minutes at 200C
Serve with mashed potatoes or polenta and some warm bread
