How many different pots of soup or stew have you already made this season? There are a lot of things I enjoy about making soup: It’s delicious and warming, It’s quick and easy, It makes for great leftovers. I mostly enjoy a good, thick stew with a crusty loaf of bread. Ok, now I’m hungry.
It’s day #7 of my 12 Days of Christmas giveaways and today I’m featuring Hamilton Beach! I own a lot of their small kitchen appliances and I just love how sturdy and dependable they are. (No, they didn’t pay me to say that.) Up until a few months ago I didn’t own a food processor. Bad idea. Then one day a beautiful food processor arrived on my doorstep and my life has not been the same since. This thing makes chopping, dicing and shredded unbelievably simple. I had about 4 blocks of cheese to shred recently for a pan of lasagna and it was a breeze to do with my food processor.
So today, along with a delicious vegetable stew, I’m giving away the Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap food processor to one lucky reader. I used mine to easily mince the Pestata for my stew. Whoa, new word. Pestata. Like pesto, pestata is a puree of herbs, garlic and olive oil. You’re going to love the fragrant pestata that you’re required to make for this stew. I nearly wanted to pick up a spoon and eat it out of the bowl of the food processor.
But first, the giveaway!
- Pestata
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
- ⅓ cup fresh oregano leaves
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Stew
- 12 ounces eggplant, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- Salt
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2¼ cups water
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved and chopped coarse
- 2 zucchini (8 ounces each), seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 red or yellow bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup shredded fresh basil
- FOR THE PESTATA: Process all ingredients in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute, scraping sides as necessary. Set aside.
- FOR THE STEW: Toss eggplant with 1½ teaspoons salt in bowl. Line surface of large plate with double layer of coffee filters and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over coffee filters. Microwave eggplant, uncovered, until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, 8 to 12 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure that eggplant cooks evenly.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add eggplant, onion, and potatoes; cook, stirring frequently, until eggplant browns and surface of potatoes becomes translucent, about 2 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of pot; add 1 tablespoon oil and tomato paste to clearing. Cook paste, stirring frequently, until brown fond develops on bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water and chopped tomatoes and juice, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and gently simmer until eggplant is completely broken down and potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking. Add zucchini, bell peppers, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet; add pestata and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir pestata into vegetables and transfer vegetables to bowl. Add
- Remove pot from heat and stir reserved vegetables and water from skillet into vegetables in Dutch oven. Cover pot and let stand for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Stir in basil and season with salt to taste; serve.
Recipe courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen
Yay! Another use for Zucchini!
I always wanted a food processor. Then one day I was cleaning in our basement and found one packed away. I must have registered for it during our wedding (four years earlier!). Now, I use it all the time! Love it!
Homemade guacamole!
gucamole or hummus
I would mix up some baby food.
Probably baby food here in a few months 🙂 or maybe make some oreo balls. 🙂
I would make baby food and some salsa! Not together of course 😉
Salsa…Love your blog!
Thank you 🙂
Every kitchen needs a food processor. Just used mine last night processing old hot dog buns into breadcrumbs
I would make a batch of pimento cheese spread – perfect for the holidays!
Fresh salsa!
I think I would make some hummus; you really have to have a machine to do that.
I’d make peanut butter!
If that stew tastes as good as it looks I would have to make it at least once a month every winter!
There are so many recipes I’ve been saving for when I get a food processor! My favorite is for avocado garlic pesto sauce.
I would make some SALSA!!!! Yum!!
I would make some carrot soup.
Guacamole!!! And salsa!!
Both delicious choices!
I would make grandmas cranberry relish.
I would probably make some salsa.
i would make pesto!
I saw a recipe for a fig, almond, and pecan bars and this would be perfect for that
Nuts , Spinach , and Kale for a Smoothie.
Tomatoes for spaghetti sauce. I dislike chunks of tomatoes in my sauce!
This soup looks delicious! I do not currently own a food processor. I’d love to have one just for graham crackers for the crust in cheesecakes!
avocado pesto
I would make hummus and homemade marinara to freeze.
Lentil soup!
fresh salsa!
I would make salsa. Thanks for the giveaway!