Grecian Isle Stew

Name: Grecian Isle Stew
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 5 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cups chopped onions; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 2 cups diced potatoes; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 3 cups vegetable broth or 3 cups water; 1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces; 2 cups chopped red bell peppers (I use 1 cup of each) or 2 cups green bell peppers (I use 1 cup of each); 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes; 1/2 cup dry red wine; 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olive; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon drained capers; 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill; salt and pepper; grated feta cheese, garnish (optional)

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"This stew has become a favorite. Has bold flavors and makes a filling lunch or dinner. Add salad, fresh bread and wine to complete the meal. Adapted from Moosewood."

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Ready In:: 2hrs 15mins
Ingredients:: 20
Serves:: 5

ingredients

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups diced potatoes
¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried oregano
¹⁄₄ - ¹⁄₂ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cups vegetable broth or 3 cups water
1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups chopped red bell peppers (I use 1 cup of each) or 2 cups green bell peppers (I use 1 cup of each)
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
¹⁄₂ cup dry red wine
¹⁄₄ cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olive
¹⁄₂ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
salt and pepper
grated feta cheese, garnish (optional)

directions

Put the cubed eggplant in a colander; sprinkle with salt; cover colander with a plate.
Put colander in a bowl or in the sink and let the eggplant drain 15-20 minutes.
Rinse well, then set aside to drain.
Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
Add in onions and garlic; cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
Add the eggplant and saute 5 minutes, stir frequently.
Add the potatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and water;stir to combine, then simmer 5 minutes.
Add green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, and wine.
Cover and simmer 15-20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add olives, parsley, lemon juice, capers, and dill; stir to combine.
Let heat through; adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle into individual bowls.
Top with a little feta cheese, if desired.

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Reviews

I always enjoy Moosewood recipes and this was no exception. It's a simple stew that has some nice flavours, albeit subtle ones. I think using a good veg stock is essential. The only thing I did differently was to add a few bay leaves, and more oregano, lemon & dill. I think this is one of those stews that would really benefit from long simmering, I bet it will be fantastic tomorrow. A few changes I'd be tempted to make next time would be to sautee the onion & garlic in more olive oil (it's a lot of onion after al) and to use only 2 cups of broth instead of 3. Thanks ratherbeswimmin', I do like this and it makes a huge pot full!

magpie diner
This was a nice, uncomplicated, healthy soup, and the capers and olives give it a nice flavor. I used a big zucchini instead of the eggplant and added some veggie broth instead of water, but otherwise followed the recipe closely. The leftover soup tasted even better the next day. Thanks for sharing! PS - I didn't use the feta (I didn't have any), but I think it would be excellent on this and would probably elevate the recipe to 5 stars. Also, I think I would add more garlic next time.

Aunt Cookie
This recipe was followed fairly closely, and I thought the flavor was nonexistent. I may have had too many potatoes, but since the prep time was actually two hours and not the listed 35 minutes, I no longer cared about measurements. I could not taste the pepper flakes, red wine, garlic or lemon. I even picked up bits of garlic and chewed them. There was no flavor left. I had also expected a stew, but this was actually a soup. The base remained clear and bland. Maybe a chicken stock or tomato sauce would have made this better. I found it barely edible, and my kids refused to eat it. My husband said he would eat it to use it up, but even he disliked it. For two hours of work, I wanted to cry when I tasted this. The only benefit to it is it is incredibly low in calories and is low in fat. I will visit my dietician tomorrow, and I am planning to take this recipe so she can share it with diabetics, low calorie patients and vegans. I would never make it again, though.

Burned Toast

Tweaks

This was a nice, uncomplicated, healthy soup, and the capers and olives give it a nice flavor. I used a big zucchini instead of the eggplant and added some veggie broth instead of water, but otherwise followed the recipe closely. The leftover soup tasted even better the next day. Thanks for sharing! PS - I didn't use the feta (I didn't have any), but I think it would be excellent on this and would probably elevate the recipe to 5 stars. Also, I think I would add more garlic next time.

Aunt Cookie