Vegetarian Southwest: Southwestern Vegetable Stew With Black Olive Sauce

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Southwestern Vegetable Stew With Black Olive Sauce

 

Recipe By : Vegetarian Southwest, by Lon Walters, page 126

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Soups And Stews Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

8 plum tomatoes -- halved

Salt and pepper -- to taste

2 zucchini

sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

2 yellow squash

sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

3 medium artichokes -- steamed

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic -- minced

2 red bell peppers -- roasted

seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

16 small asparagus tips

1 quart vegetable stock

--about 2 1/2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

(or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil -- plus four leaves

(or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

(or 1 teaspoon dried)

Salt and pepper -- to taste

2 cups whole pitted black olives

 

SERVES 4

 

From Chef Christopher J. Gross, of Christopher's and Christopher's

Bistro, Phoenix, Arizona

 

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

 

Place tomatoes cut side down on a cookie sheet. Season with salt and

pepper to taste. Dry in oven for 6 to 7 hours or overnight. Reheat in a

pan over the grill or in the oven.

 

Grill the zucchini and yellow squash slices, then dice.

 

Clean the artichokes, leaving the stems and the hearts and discarding the

outer leaves. Cut each cleaned artichoke into eighths.

 

In a medium saucepan, using 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, saute the

artichokes with the minced garlic. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and

toss to coat. Add the red bell peppers, asparagus tips, and dried tomatoes

and barely cover with vegetable stock. Let simmer over medium heat for 4

to 5 minutes and strain, reserving the stock. Place the vegetables back in

the pot and add cilantro, oregano, basil, thyme, and salt and pepper. Stir

until blended, then set aside, keeping warm.

 

Take the stock used to cook the vegetables and place in a pot with the

remainder of the vegetable stock. Add the black olives. Simmer until the

mixture has been reduced by one-half. Blend thoroughly and strain,

 

Spoon the warm vegetables into the centers of four bowls (leave space

between the vegetables and the edges of the bowls). Spoon olive sauce

around the vegetables. Fry basil leaves in the remaining tablespoon of

olive oil, then place one on top of each mound of vegetables as a garnish.

 

AUTHOR'S NOTE : While this may sound time-consuming, most of the waiting

time is drying the tomatoes. If time is of the essence, purchase dried

tomatoes and reconstitute them. See Roasting Chile Peppers, " (see separate

recipe), to learn more about preparing peppers.

 

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