CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: French Vegetable Stew

This dish will satisfy both meat-eaters and nonmeat-eaters.

French Vegetable Stew

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 ½ cups chopped leeks 4 large garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground fennel 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cubed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

About ¾ cup white wine, divided

2 cups peeled carrot chunks

1 15-ounce can Great Northern northern or other white beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons tarragon

1½ cups frozen peas

Pinch or two of kosher salt

Warm oil in soup pot. Add leeks, garlic, fennel and pinch of salt. Cover. Cook 10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Liquid will start to caramelize, so use splash of wine to deglaze pan. Add potatoes and tomatoes, stir, cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes. Add carrots, cover. Gently simmer until vegetables are tender. Add beans, peas, tarragon and ½ cup of wine. Stir gently for 2 to 3 minutes until stew is hot and beans and peas have softened.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.

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