Hearty Winter Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 to 6 small shallots, peeled and halved
• 8 oz baby carrots
• 1 lb small new potatoes, well scrubbed and cut in half if larger than 1½ inches
• 2 turnips or 1 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1½ cups vegetable stock
• ¼ cup dry red or white wine
• 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
• 1½ tsp dried thyme, sage, or savory, or a mix of all three

Directions

1. oil bottom of slow cooker with 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Add shallots, carrots, potatoes, turnips and garlic, and toss to coat with oil.
3. Add salt, pepper, stock, wine, tamari and herbs.
4. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Do not stir.
5. Cover slow cooker, and set on low; cook until all vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 hours.

Stovetop directions

1. Heat all oil in 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat.
2. Add all remaining ingredients.
3. Reduce heat to low.
4. Cover pot, and cook, stirring contents occasionally, until all vegetables are tender, 1 to 1½ hours.