It was my turn to play hostess.
Our little group of 3 ‘J’s’ was a-gathering for a chin-wag, and my pad was next on the rotation.
I love to entertain. My little guy was curious as to what the preparatory hoopla was all about.
I set the mood.
I pulled out my favourite raw crackers (Okanagan Rawsome Carrot Crisps), with some dipping delights.
And I made this bowl of delicious comfort.
What’s in the bowl, you ask?
Julia’s December Stewp
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
3 organic celery stalks, chopped
4-5 organic carrots, chopped
3 small sweet potatoes, chopped
about a dozen very small brussels sprouts, trimmed (with bottoms scored)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 green cabbage, sliced
about 1 1/2 cups green beans, sliced
1 litre organic chicken broth
2 small cans diced organic tomatoes (or 1 large can)
sea salt and pepper, to taste
spices/herbs – to your liking (I used turmeric, Mexican chili powder, Spanish paprika, Italian blend…oh my, what an eclectic mix…)
Preparation
It’s easy. Chop all veggies ahead of time. In Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions; saute for a few minutes. Add celery, carrots and sweet potatoes. Continue to saute until onion is translucent. Add garlic; saute for 2 minutes. Toss in remaining vegetables. Pour chicken broth and tomatoes over top; give a good stir. Add salt, pepper and other spices…to taste. Simmer stewp until vegetables are tender – about 45 minutes.
But the fun needn’t end there.
To elevate my stewp to the next level, I decided to adorn each bowl with a pair of almond meal-crusted chicken drumsticks. I dredged skin-on drumsticks in almond meal and placed them on a baking sheet. A liberal sprinkle of sea salt, pepper and fresh thyme leaves was followed by a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil across each drumstick. The lot then baked in a 350 degree oven for about an hour.
Oh. So. Good.