The Vegan Stew Dilemma

One of the highlights of any stew is the chunks of meat bobbing in it. They give it flavor and chewiness, along with much needed oomph. What happens when its' eliminated from the equation? There in lies the problem.

That is my dilemma, I 'm a meat eater in a vegan household.There was a recipe in Wednesday's New York Times Food section by regular Melissa Clark, It was a beef and onion stew , fortified with beer. It 's based on the Flemish carbonnade. It sounds wonderful and I can imagine the marriage of earthy beef with sweet onion,.Unfortunately the neat has to be erased from the picture. Do I make it anyway with just more onions? That would be eight onions!! It would turn into a side dish at that point  do I sub in firm tofu at that point?Or add faux beef crumbles to it. That works with Bolognese sauce and chili a stew itself,.The last is the kind that lets all the ingredients shine.A spoonful of it  and you have equal flavors of the protein, tomatoes and chiles. Yet one that solely or partially relies on the meat for taste is at a loss when the lesser stars such as carrots and potatoes have to carry the dish. Probably the best bet is getting the vegan beef chunks from Vegetarian Plus which is sold at Whole Foods. Theylook like lumpy meat balls. Hopefully the taste will compensate for that along with their ability to blend in.

Another idea is to look at vegan stew recipes that focus on the vegetables.Potatoes are pretty hearty and they could be considered the "meat" if there is none. One recipe that I could try is vegan Hungarian paprika stew.It's an intriguing blend of two kinds of paprika, sweet and smoked along with onions, bell peppers and tomatoes. A blob of yogurt tops it off , giving the fiery dish a refreshing dash of cool.Another potato based stew has leeks along with carrots,bell peppers and nutritional yeast.Cauliflower, cannellini beans  and kale can also be added to give it more body.Flax and chia seeds can also be added for more nutritional value. Chickpeas, the bean of the moment ,can also be the star of vegetarian stews. What I love about them is that they're so meaty and versatile. In a way they're like meat, flavoring the stew and acting as the backbone. Go exotic with a Lebanese style one, rich with za'atar and cumin. Tomato paste also are added for color and zing.It also has garlic but theis can be omitted if you want.

Yes, it would be nice to have an old fashioned beef or chicken stew.sadly, that;s a no go in my house. Luckily veggies and beans are great stand ins. They can give a rich, tasty stew, perfect on a cold day,