Cold? Have some Couscous to get you cozy and Giambotta to get you Going! (Italian Vegetable Stew)

So the weather in my neighbourhood has been rather chilly lately. The kind of weather that is just crying out for some warm cozy soul food, eaten in front of a fireplace whilst you are wrapped in your favourite blanket. Mine happens to be a snuggie :)

I wanted to make something reminiscent of the stews and casseroles that my mother would make for us in the winter months when I was little. Rich, tomato based stews full of flavour that would leave us wanting more even when out little tummies were filled to the brim. 

So off I went into the kitchen armed with a bunch of wholesome veggies and an idea of what I wanted to make and this is what I ended up with.

Served with a glass of red, this made for a delightful evening meal that had the man asking for more!

This version of Giambotta is more reduced and chunky than the traditional recipe calls for. If you want your Giambotta to be more stew-like add more stock, finely chop the veggies and serve with crusty buttered bread.

Giambotta served with buttery Couscous (serves 4)

Ingredients 

Giambotta:

• 2-3 chat potatoes roughly cut into cubes
• 2 large carrots sliced thickly
• 250g button mushrooms chopped into halves
• 3 stalks celery sliced thinly
• 4 ripe tomatoes finely chopped
• 1.75 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cloves garlic smashed
• 1 brown onion chopped finely
• 1 tblsp tomato paste
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Fresh Oregano and Basil
• Olive oil

In a large pot add a dash of olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until soft. Add tomato, celery, stock and tomato paste and bring to boil. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots and mushrooms. Continue simmering until mixture reduces. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add fresh oregano and basil. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve on top of Buttery Couscous.

Buttery Couscous

• 4 cups of prepared couscous (preferably made with vegetable or chicken-style stock)
• 2 tblsp vegan margarine (I use nuttelex)
• Salt and Pepper

Mix the margarine salt and pepper through the prepared couscous. Couscous should be light and fluffy.

Enjoy!

Leave me some feedback and love if you are liking the recipes. 

Until next time,

Fi :)

And the vegan is born, why not have some Wonderous Wonton Soup?

Why hello there.

Welcome to the whimsical world of the naughty vegan kitchen.

Lifetime animal lover, longtime vegetarian and recent vegan, I have decided to start a delightful food blog celebrating my newly established veganism, dining adventures, and funky food related things. Care to tag along?

So, if you don't mind all too much, lets get started with one of my all time favourite dishes, the simple, but oh so delicious wonton soup.

Light, wholesome and perfect for a chilly winters eve.

This particular soup uses yummy mushrooms as the base for the broth as well as a bunch of other delightful fresh ingredients. The wholesome flavours come from the various herbs and seasonings which are easy to adjust according to your flavour preferences. Feel free to chop and change the wonton filling as you please. (The measurements are all guestimations, I tend not to pay much attention to measurements)

Vegan Mince filled Wontons and Mushroom Broth (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

Wontons (makes about 30)

• 2.5 cups TVP mince soaked in chicken style stock
• 1 large white onion chopped finely
• 3 carrots grated
• 3 spring onions chopped finely
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 3 tablespoons chopped ginger
• 3-4 tablespoons chopped chilli
• 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
• 2 tablespoons mushroom seasoning (available at most asian green grocers) or vegetable stock powder
• sesame oil
• light soy sauce
• a pinch of raw sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• vegan wonton wrappers (available at most asian green grocers)

In a mortar and pestle grind the garlic, chilli, ginger, lemongrass and salt until the mixture resembles a paste. Add sesame oil to a wok and saute the onions and chilli ginger mixture until onions become soft. Add the mince and stir for about 5 minutes. Throw in the shallots, carrot, mushroom seasoning and a 1/4 cup of water and simmer until mixture reduces. Add remaining seasonings until desired taste is achieved. Let the mixture cool and get making those wontons! Once you are finished pop the wontons in the freezer to help them retain their shape while you get started on the broth. Once the broth is ready to go, steam the wontons until they become transparent.

Wonderful Wontons!

Mushroom Broth

• 2.5 L chicken style stock
• 5 spring onions roughly chopped
• 250g mixed mushrooms roughly chopped (oyster, shitake, enoki, swiss, field)
• 1 bunch mixed asian greens (bok choy, gai lan, pak choy)
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3-4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• chopped chilli and spring onion finely sliced lengthways to garnish.

Bring the stock to the boil and add mushrooms and spring onions, simmer for 10 minutes. Add sesame oil and soy sauce to taste and simmer for 5 minutes. Take the broth off the heat and add greens. Serve with wontons immediately and garnish with chilli and spring onions. 

And here is the finished product. Enjoy!

n.b If you have a bunch of leftover wontons leave them in the freezer, they should keep for a few weeks. Steam them and enjoy them in a dipping sauce made with sweet chilli sauce, light soy and sesame oil.