Mushroom stew

It has been freezing here recently and there is nothing more comforting on a cold, snowy day than a big bowl of hearty stew. Vegetarian stews can be hard to come by but what is especially nice about this mushroom version is that since it doesn't have beef in it the stew doesn't need to cook all day in a crock pot. This one can come together easily even after a day at work.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, roughly chopped

1 large stalk celery, roughly chopped

1/2 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 small box button mushrooms, cut in 1/6ths

2/3 cup other mushroom of your choice, chopped (I used shiitakes)

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon butter 

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 small (or 1/2 large) potato, cut in big chunks

3 cups veggie stock

1/2 teaspoon sage

1 bay leaf

black pepper

salt

Directions:

In a dutch oven heat oil over medium-low heat, add carrot, celery, and onion and cook until soft (about 4-5 minutes). Add garlic, mushrooms, and 1 teaspoon of butter (really just a small pat). Don't stir for about a minute so that the mushrooms brown up. Then stir and cook for 3 more minutes. Shove the veggies to the side of the pan and add butter and flour in the center, blend these together until they turn into a paste. Add wine and soy sauce and stir well, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to release all of the brown bits. Add the potato, stock, sage, bay leave, and a few cracks of black pepper. Partially cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and the potatoes have broken down a bit and have thickened it to a stew consistency. If the veggies are tender but it isn't thick just turn the heat up slightly and cook a few more minutes, mashing 2-3 of your potato chunks to help thicken. Season with salt and pepper.