Most of my favorite dishes are connected to autumn – harvests, creeping twilight, and foods that provide a luscious but comforting counterpoint to the refreshing nip in the air. I hadn’t made this one in years – perhaps hadn’t even made it for H – but it was something he really enjoyed. It’s worth doubling and tripling.
Another bonus in our world of competing diet restrictions – it’s entirely vegan, but lacks the 70’s co-op flavor. All you’ll want to do is find good bread to sop up the juices.
From Verdura by Viana La Place:
2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
or
16 oz of roasted red or mixed red and yellow peppers, packed in water not vinegar
1 pound boiling potatoes
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes or 1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and cut in quarters
10-12 basil leaves divided
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare the peppers by cutting them lengthwise and removing the cores, seeds, and white membranes. Cut the peppers into 1/2 inch strips. Peel the potatoes and cut into rough 1-inch dice. Peel, seed, and coarsely chop the tomatoes.
Place the olive oil and butter in a braising pan. Turn the heat to medium and when the butter melts, add the onion and toss quickly. Lower the heat and cook the onion until it softens and becomes light gold. Add the peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, black olives, 4 whole basil leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture, cover, and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape. Be careful not to overcook the potatoes.
Before serving, coarsely chop the remaining basil. Transfer the stew to a shallow serving dish or to individual pasta bowls and sprinkle with the remaining basil.
