We all know that vegetables are good, but few people follow the recommendations of nutritionists and eat vegetable dishes daily. And it is in vain, as aromatic vegetable stew is not only very useful, it also has an amazing taste. In addition, these meals is a snap to prepare.

What happens stew

In French, the word "stew" is used to refer to multi-stewed dishes. As a rule, all the ingredients for stew cut into small pieces and fried, and then stewed in a thick sauce appetizing.

Initially stew prepared exclusively from meat or poultry, the bone is not removed. But over time, and vegetable stew recipes. However, correct to say that there was a new name for the stewed vegetable dishes that before existed under other names. So, today is referred to the stew, for example, dishes such as cell or ratatouille.

Stew, including its variety of vegetables - the dish is very simple, even primitive. From the chef is only required to combine all products into a suitable bowl and properly extinguish them. Similar dishes exist in different national cuisines. In Italy, the vegetables cooked Caponata, Romania and Bulgaria - gyuvech in Armenia - aylazan, Pakistan - ajapsandali, while in India - subji. This brilliant representatives of the "people's cooking" - were taken to prepare the stew and mixed all the products that were in the house. At first, the result of these experiments was, of course, unpredictable, but gradually empirically ascertain the optimal proportions of fruits and the time during which all of the ingredients have time to prepare, but did not turn to "mush."

Vegetable stew can be used for any potatoes, cabbage of all kinds, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, squash, pumpkin Pumpkin for health: a royal vegetable in home pharmacy Celery Celery: vegetable with obvious advantages , Onions, garlic. Winter can sometimes even use canned vegetables, for example, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste, green peas and corn, red and white beans. In the spring and summer in stews added more fresh greens and autumn stew often cooked with the addition of mushrooms.

Only vegetables

Pistou opens unlimited opportunities for creativity. Vegetables may be used in any combinations and proportions. Some people like to chop one component was the main, leading, while others only emphasize its taste. Others cook contrary, prefer different vegetables in approximately equal proportions to result in a new interlocking flavors and fragrances. But in any case, ragout used for preparing at least two or three species of vegetables, otherwise not obtained stews, and only one certain type of vegetable sauce.

Good taste and some chef's experience will help to create a harmonious combination of different vegetables to the dish has become a vivid taste of its own, and did not seem random set first came to hand products.

Cooking vegetable stew has its secrets. Since different vegetables have different densities, the time of their preparation, too, is different. So dense vegetables (such as potatoes and carrots) lay in the pot at the beginning of cooking, and then add the soft, delicate vegetables to all the products have reached readiness simultaneously. Onions are usually added at the beginning of the quenching and garlic, on the contrary, in the end, a minute before removing the pot of stew from the stove.

It is important to cut the vegetables into even sized pieces and shape. It can be cubes, slices, slices or wedges - most importantly, to ready-made dish looked attractive.

Its features a cooking stew with potatoes. Potatoes should be brought to readiness, and only then add the vegetables, contain large amounts of acid, such as tomatoes. Otherwise, the roots and become soft, and the taste of them will leave much to be desired.

Stew can be prepared in several ways. The most simple: to put out all the vegetables together in a bowl. The most commonly used ceramic pot or saucepan with thick walls. Especially tasty obtained in a ceramic pot stew, if it is not prepared on the stove, and oven, or furnace.

Another way of cooking stew of vegetables takes much more time, but the result always turns out gorgeous. Each kind of vegetable fried separately, then combine all the ingredients together and bring to the readiness in a bowl with spices and tomato. Stew cooked so well that all its ingredients have optimal consistency: in the dish will not be digested or, on the contrary, damp components.

Finally, you can not put out the vegetables and baked, stacked layers in the low ceramic form. Here, too, has its own secrets. For example, potato slices should not coexist with slices of tomato, and onion rings are placed on the bottom of the form or on top of other vegetables, but not between them.

Exquisite taste

To improve the taste of the vegetable stew is possible by means of various additives. One of the most popular additions to a cheese vegetables: solid, cream, pickled or moldy delicacy. Typically, cheese is added to the ready-made dish before serving, but sometimes it is added at the end of cooking.

A very popular additive to vegetable ragout - mushrooms. You can use wild mushrooms or common mushrooms, winter suit even the mushroom harvesting. This additive can transform the taste of the usual stew, and at the same time make the dish is much better fed.

Another way to improve the taste of vegetable stew - the use of spices. It is ideal basil tomatoes, cabbage taste in harmony with the cumin. Braised eggplant perfectly complement the spicy garlic and Mediterranean herbs. A freshly ground pepper and fresh greens will suit absolutely any stew, from which whatever it is cooked.

Maria Bykov

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