Vegetable Stew with Roasted Tomato Sauce Recipe

Ingredients :

Serves 6

• 45ml / 3 tbsp olive oil

• 250g / 9oz small pickling (pearl) onions or shallots

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 5ml / 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 5ml / 1 tsp ground coriander seeds

• 5ml / 1 tsp paprika

• 10cm / 4in piece cinnamon stick

• 2 fresh bay leaves

• 300-450ml / ½-¾ pint / 1¼–scant 2 cups good vegetable stock

• good pinch of saffron strands

• 450g / 1lb carrots, thickly sliced

• 2 green (bell) peppers, seeded and thickly sliced

• 115g / 4oz ready-to-eat dried apricots, halved if large

• 5-7.5ml / 1-1½ tsp ground toasted cumin seeds

• 450g / 1lb squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks

• pinch of sugar, to taste

• salt and ground black pepper

• 45ml / 3 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish
  
  For the roasted tomato and garlic sauce :

• 1kg / 2¼lb tomatoes, halved

• 45ml / 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1-2 fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped

• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 5ml / 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. First make the sauce. Place the tomatoes, cut sides uppermost, in a roasting tin (pan). Season well, drizzle with the olive oil and roast for 30 minutes.

2. Scatter the chilies, garlic and thyme over the tomatoes, stir to mix and roast for a further 30-45 minutes, until the tomatoes are collapsed but still juicy. Cool, then process in a food processor or blender to make a thick sauce. Strain to remove the seeds.

3. Heat 30ml / 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan and cook the pickling onions or shallots until browned.
   Remove the onions from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining oil and chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the ground coriander seeds, paprika, cinnamon stick and bay leaves to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then mix in the vegetable stock, saffron, carrots and green peppers. Season well, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir in the apricots, 5ml / 1 tsp of the ground cumin, the onions or shallots, the squash and the tomato sauce.

5. Cover the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are all fully cooked.

6. Adjust the seasoning, adding a little more cumin and a pinch of sugar to taste. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Serve scattered with the fresh coriander leaves.

Nutritional Facts :

Per portion :

Energy  281kcals/1178kJ

Protein   4.5g

Fat, total   12.3g

   saturated fat   11.4g

Carbohydrate   40.6g

   of which sugars   26.9g

Fiber   8.2g