I have been experimenting with this stew, and have come up with variations that are vegan, vegetarian or just general. I’ll leave it for you to decide how to go about it.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 25g pancetta, (optional)
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 1 small or half a large red cabbage
- 2 cans tinned tomatoes, chopped
- 1 sprig of thyme
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp chopped rosemary leaves
- 1/2 tsp chopped sage leaves (optional)
- 1 can borlotti beans or cannellini beans
- 1.75 litres of stock (vegetable or beef)
METHOD:
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil and add the pancetta, onions, garlic, carrots and celery, and fry gently until the vegetables start to brown slightly.
- Add the cabbage, tomatoes and thyme, stir and cook until the cabbage is tender.
- Add the stock, the can of beans including liquid, 1 tsp salt and a good amount of black pepper, as well as the other herbs. Cook over a very low heat for two hours, keeping a check to make sure it is not sticking.
- Once the stew is cooked, check for seasoning, and add extra stock if it seems to need it.
This recipe is based on several others, some of which use Italian black kale, luganega pork sausage, omit the sage, etcetera. Please experiment.