güveç

A Turkish Vegetable Stew

güveç

A turkish vegetable stew

Here’s yet another lovely vegetable stew, this one coming to us from Turkey. I’m making it as part of my menu for Parasha Noach.

Guvec is not only the name of this dish; it’s also the name of this dish.

I hear you saying, “huh?”

I mean, the clay pot and the stew that’s cooked inside it are known by the same name.

If you haven’t got a clay pot and don’t want to rush out and get one, a Le Creuset or other enameled pot will work just fine. You could even use a Dutch oven in a pinch.

This is one of those recipes that varies from cook to cook, and from season to season, depending upon what produce is available. Feel free to add sliced carrots, and/or green beans cut in half. Many cooks add okra. I don’t because I’m not a fan, but feel free to do so. The potatoes make it quite hearty. It can be made in advance—like most stews, it’s actually better when it’s made the day before.

The amounts of the vegetables and the spices are not an exact science. Think of them as a guide. A Turkish grandmother wouldn’t be measuring…

Ingredients:

  • ½ pint cherry or grape tomatoes

  • 1 lb small potatoes, halved or quartered to bite-sized

  • 2 small Asian eggplants, sliced into ½ inch rounds, or 1 small globe eggplant, cut to 1 inch dice.

  • 2 medium onions, large dice

  • 1 red pepper deseeded & cut into strips

  • 1 green pepper deseeded & cut into strips

  • 2 small zucchini, sliced into ½ inch rounds

  • 6 ounces mushrooms–white, cremini, whatever you like and is available, halved or quartered

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 cup canned diced or crushed tomatoes 

  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

  • 1 bay leaf, crumbled

  • ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds, crushed with the side of a heavy knife

  • ½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds, crushed with the side of a heavy knife

  • Aleppo pepper, as desired, for heat

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • salt & black pepper to taste

  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley and mint, to garnish

  • Optional: 1/4—1/3 cup grated cheese, Turkish kaşar or cheddar

Method:

  • Heavily salt the eggplant and set it in a colander to sweat out the bitterness and excess water. After 30 minutes, rinse off the salt and squeeze the eggplant dry with paper towels.

  • Preheat the oven to 375°

  • In a large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil and sauté the onions, peppers, and eggplant over high heat to brown a bit. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and sauté a few minutes more.

    Tip: If the skillet is too full to brown the vegetables at once, remove the first batch and set them aside before adding more, using a bit more oil if needed. Combine them all back together when you add the potatoes.

  • Remove from the heat. Stir in the potatoes cherry tomatoes and add the spices, gently tossing to combine them well.

  • Pour a tablespoon of oil into your clay pot or cast iron pot. Gently layer in half the vegetables. Cover them with half the canned tomatoes. Then top with the remaining vegetables and the rest of the canned tomatoes. Drizzle the last tablespoon of oil over the top.

  • Put the pot on the stove top and bring the stew to a boil. As soon as it boils, remove it from the stove, cover the pot tightly, and slide the pot into the preheated oven. Bake for 1 ½ hours. Don’t open the cover while the stew is baking.

  • If you’re using the cheese, uncover the pot after the allotted time has passed, sprinkle it on top, and return the pot to the oven for another 5 minutes, uncovered.

 

If you’re making this in advance, don’t add the cheese until just before you’re ready to serve.