The weather wants what the weather wants so who am I to go against Mother Nature? Baby it’s cold outside and I’m all about binging on Ray Donovan (where the hell have I been all the years?!) and going back for thirds because post preg bod is a post Holly problem.
Vegetable Winter Warmer Ragu
Serves 4
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 carrot
- 1 rosemary stalk
- 1 eggplant
- 1 zucchini
- 5 button mushrooms
- 1tbs tomato paste
- 1 can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 2tbs balsamic vinegar
- 1/2tbs white sugar
- Bunch of basil, torn- optional
- Salt & pepper
Polenta, mashed potato or pasta to serve
Method
Get the biggest pot you have on a low heat and drizzle really generously with olive oil. Once you have finely chopped the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and rosemary add to the pot. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and leave to saute while you move onto chopping the eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms – you want little cubes. Add these veg to the pot and continue to gently saute for a further 10-15 before stirring through the tomato paste and can of tomatoes.
While that’s cooking pop your chicken stock cube to your now empty can of tomatoes and fill up with hot water. Once diluted, add to the pot along with the balsamic vinegar, sugar and if using the basil. Season with salt and pepper then leave to gently simmer for 20 minutes or so.
Serve with polenta, mashed potato or pasta and sprinkle with parmesan. Food for the soul!