Galician-style vegetable stew (Caldo Galego-inspired)
🥣🗑️🤔 Did you know that homemade soup is the perfect make-ahead meal since it keeps well in the fridge within 3 to 4 days or can be frozen for up to several months? So let’s cook delicious Galician-style vegetable stew made from leafy greens, beans, root vegetables, cabbage, and mushrooms.
🌱🍲 Rubén joined A Grandchild in My Kitchen, Grandma Sara’s cooking challenge consists of twisting worldwide family dishes into plant-based meals, and they cook a plant-based recipe inspired by the popular “Caldo Galego” (literally Galician soup) the indisputable soup-come-stew from Galicia in northwest Spain. There are many variations, depending on the region. Perfect for the cold season!
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch of kale, chopped
1 small white cabbage, chopped
4 or 6 small potatoes
3 whole peeled carrots, chopped
2 cans of boiled beans
1 tray of mushrooms
2 small onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 bay leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons olive veggie oil, to sauté
3 tsp. ground sweet paprika
Pinch of salt and pepper, to taste
A loaf of Galician wheat bread or artisan bread (optional)
METHOD
1. Wash all vegetables well. Chop kale, cabbage, kale, carrot, onions, and garlic. Rinse the potatoes and then cut them all in half.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan. Sauté onions and garlic until transparent, add the mushrooms. Cook for several minutes then stir in the paprika and stir well
3. In the meantime, heat vegetable oil in a large pot. Add potatoes and carrots. Stir for a while then cover the veggies with water. Add some bay leaves (optional).
4. Cook for approx. 20 minutes. Add kale and white cabbage, bring to a boil, and simmer at a medium-high flame.
5. Add the baked beans and the mix from the mushrooms pan, with 10 more minutes left of cooking on moderate heat. Add salt and pepper. When veggies are tender, turn off the stove and remove the pot from the heat.
6. Ladle into individual bowls and serve with a slice of Galician wheat bread or artisan bread. Bon appetite!
👵💚 Grandma Sita’s tips:
*Grab your largest pot as this warming stew is a great dish to prep for several days in advance. Remember, the container should be completely cool before you transfer it to the fridge.
*The “grelos” are the leafy tops of turnips, an essential ingredient in this stew. But it’s difficult to find them outside of northwest Spain, any other leafy greens in sizeable quantities work well.
📗 Leafy greens include kale, spinach, arugula, and endive, as well as greens from beets, collards, and turnips.
♻️🌎 Nearly half of all fruits and veggies produced globally are wasted yearly. Let’s not add to that statistic by making nutritious plant-based soups that will keep ourselves and the planet healthy. Soup is also the perfect way to cook with zero waste using whatever you have in your pantry. All of us can act at home to reduce our waste and every single one counts. Make soup, not waste!