CELERIAC STEW (SO DELICIOUS, WELCOME TO FALL)

Most people have never heard of this odd looking vegetable let alone tried it. It's actually a root vegetable that is sometimes called celery root.  It grows wild, has a bit of a celery flavor and is hearty and delicious.

I made this stew the other day and it was so good I ate it for five meals. I served it over brown rice, potatoes, rice and potatoes and with no rice or potatoes and it was delicious every time. The way I made it was very spicy, but you know what heat level you can take.

Ingredients:

1 large sweet onion chopped
2 pints sliced crimini mushrooms
1 large box low sodium (or no sodium) vegetable stock or RVS (or water)
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 carrots peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 cup brandy
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dark roast brewed coffee (leftover from breakfast)
1 large celery root peeled and cut in half
2 cups mixed cooked beans
1 cup dried lentils
3 Serrano chilies cut into circles (spicy)
1 jalapeño cut into circles (not as spicy, but spicy)
2 tsp sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 cups fresh peas
1 bunch cilantro chopped (stems are ok)

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly crush or pulse in a grinder all the fennel, coriander and cumin seeds

In a heated large Teflon style pan (I used my cast iron coated Le Creuset pan that you'll see a picture of in the last Sourdough blog) , sauté the onions and mushrooms until golden brown. Once they start to get brown, move them around to keep from sticking and add water a quarter cup at a time. When they're soft, add the garlic and carrots. Add the slightly ground spices. As soon as you smell the garlic cooking, add the brandy. When the brandy is reduced and the alcohol cooks off, add the tomato paste and stir. Add the coffee and let it reduce for about 3 minutes. Add the stock and all other ingredients up to but not including the peas and cilantro. Place the covered pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the lid, if too much liquid evaporated add some water or stock. You want a rich gravy at the end. Add the peas and cilantro and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Make sure the lentils and peas are soft.