rooted stew

A few weeks ago I sent out my first maya*mail. It featured Rooted Stew and a promise to soon include it in the eat section of the blog. So here it is, and this is how I described it:

 This recipe for my favorite winter stew is not only delicious, but the perfect antidote to the excesses that go hand in hand with the (holiday) season. Humble root vegetables are featured for their ability to nourish and ground us. A steaming bowl literally roots you to your body after a long day of rushing about. Try eating with chopsticks and take one bite at a time before drinking the savory broth. It's a mini meditation in a bowl. Keeping a pot of Rooted Stew in the fridge ensures a balancing meal just when you need it most. An assortment of roots are used, and I would  encourage you to experiment with some new ones, especially Burdock. It has a long history in Asian and Native American cultures in both cuisine and for medicinal purposes. Its robust, earthy flavor warms me down to my toes.

Rooted Stew

Ingredients:   

• a tablespoon or two of olive oil 
• 1 diced onion 
• 2 pressed cloves of garlic 
• 5 cups of scrubbed and chopped roots (choose from: burdock, carrots, daikon, rutabagas,         parsnips, turnips, celeriac) 
• 4-6 shitake mushrooms sliced, stems removed 
• 1 tablespoon of chopped or grated fresh ginger (more to taste if you're a ginger lover) 
• 1 piece of kombu (sea vegetable) 
• 1/2 cup tamari 
• 1/4 cup kuzu or cornstarch for thickening 
• fresh scallions sliced

Make:
Saute onions and garlic in olive oil  for several minutes before adding all of the roots. Pour in 7 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and add the ginger, shitake, kombu, and tamari. Simmer until vegetables are just tender. Around 40 minutes. Add cornstarch or kuzu to 1/2 cup of cool water. Whisk. Add this mixture to the pot and keep cooking until the stew thickens.Serve with rice or alone in a deep bowl. Top with scallions and enjoy!

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I  believe we could all use a bowl of Rooted Stew this weekend: to nourish our bodies and remain grounded as we kick-start fresh goals...  and follow our January dreams. Here are two links along those lines-

• This cookbook I  saw at annekata looks wonderful!
• Michelle has a fantastic video on how to begin juicing over at Squam's happy, shiny, new blog. So fun to watch, especially because she totally demystifies the process with her sweet self and affordable (thank goodness) juicer.

Be well!