I know there are two distinct camps out there- those who have had long hot Summers and are ready for Fall, and those who feel that Summer went by too fast (or never really came at all!) and therefore would like to squeeze out some last bits of seasonal warmth before embracing the coming chill in the air.
As you know, I'm in the second camp. And this entry and this recipe are for those of you who agree with me.
VOODOO STEW (makes enough to feed many, and to keep summer from leaving just yet)
Directions: On the first day you feel a distinctly Autumnal chill in the air, pull out your trusty crock pot.
Put into the crock pot in the following order: some onions sautéed with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and turmeric, then some diced potatoes and carrots sautéed with plenty more salt, pepper, paprika, and turmeric, then two fistfuls of barley (regular, unpearled, rinsed), one fistful of lentils (rinsed), three or four big fistfuls of roughly chopped kale, a bottle (12 oz.) of the summeriest beer you can find, and 1-2 bottles worth of veggie broth (24 oz. or ~ 3 cups- you'll need to watch your crock pot and add liquid as needed, depending on whether you want a very thick stew or a thinner one), and some righteous anger. This last ingredient is critical!
Set your crock pot to low and go away for 6-8 hours. Do something Summery, like lounging in a hammock.
Serve with some crusty bread and keep muttering under your breath how Summer better not leave yet. If you do everything just right, you might be successful, like I was, in bringing on some warmer weather. The last few days have been downright hot! For the next few days, I will be brining you Summery posts involving fruits, farmers markets, and other fun. Update 9/25 : I just heard that yesterday, the city of Syracuse beat the all-time record for heat- this stew really works!
Happy Autumn!
One year ago today: On 24 September 2006, I blogged about apple picking and Oktoberfest.
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