VEGETABLE STEW

Late summer is the time to introduce your family to the delicious flavors of fresh garden vegetables.  They don’t have to come from your own garden but any local country side stand will do. Begin to  fill your basket with two or three yellow squash add a couple of zucchini (I prefer the smaller thinner squash as they are more tender than the large ones) .  Next add about three handfuls of string  beans, two ears of corn, one large onion, three nice size tomatoes,  three beets, one garlic bulb and any other fresh vegetable that catches your eye.  Now try  to ignore the fact that you may not (or a family member) may not like a particular vegetable because after your vegetable stew is finished the family will be unable to distinguish one from the other and they will love them all.

On the stove place a large deep pot.  Add enough cooking olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot. Add a layer of the garlic cloves which have been peeled and sliced thinly.   Next add the onion which has been peeled  and sliced in inch size sections.  Then add the well washed squash sliced in approximately one quarter inch sections then the beets (peeled and sliced)  Finally the string beans (tips snapped off)    and placed on top of the vegetables the two ears of corn (husked and washed), Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and put the heat on simmer. After about ten minutes add the washed tomatoes sliced and quartered.  

Sometimes I cook the string beans and corn separately in my steamer as they take a little longer to become tender. My vegetables in the pot (I stir them occasionally) are firm to tender in approximately 15 minutes. The string beans and corn are usually done at the same time.   Add the string beans to the vegetable pot. Slice down the kernels from the corn and add along with 2 tbs. of sugar to the pot . Stir well. Finally add one can of well drained black beans. Stir well………..And serve.  You will finally have discovered the secret to your family loving vegetables!