Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 400 g cremini mushrooms, halved
- 200 g shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 200 g carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 200 g parsnips, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 300 g yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2cm chunks
- 150 g pearl onions, peeled
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 5 g fresh rosemary, whole sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
Pantry and Liquids
- 45 ml olive oil
- 30 g tomato paste
- 15 g cornstarch
- 250 ml dry red wine
- 750 ml vegetable broth
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat 30ml of olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the cremini and shiitake mushrooms in a single layer. Sear without stirring for 5 minutes to develop a deep crust, then toss and brown for 3 more minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 15ml of olive oil and the pearl onions to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until highly fragrant.
Stir the tomato paste into the onion mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the paste darkens from bright red to a deep brick or rust color.
Pour the red wine into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to vigorously scrape the bottom of the pot, releasing all the browned bits. Simmer for 3 minutes until the liquid reduces by about half.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into 50ml of cold vegetable broth to create a smooth slurry without any lumps.
Add the remaining 700ml vegetable broth, cornstarch slurry, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and the reserved seared mushrooms back into the pot. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil.
Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer at approximately 90C/195F. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully fish out and discard the thyme stems, rosemary stems, and bay leaves. Stir in the kosher salt and black pepper to taste, then let the stew rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the deepest flavor, ensure you get a dark, hard sear on the mushrooms. The Maillard reaction here is the absolute foundation of the stew's umami profile.
- Cooking the tomato paste until it rusts in color removes its raw, metallic acidity and introduces essential sweet, caramelized undertones to the broth.
- This stew tastes significantly better the next day as the herbs and wine have time to marry and penetrate the root vegetables fully.
- If serving a strict kosher or vegan diet, verify the certification on your red wine, as some conventional wines are fined using animal products.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors improve significantly on the second day.
Freezer: 3 months — Potatoes may change texture slightly and soften further upon reheating.
