Roast Vegetable Stew with Tom Hunt

Roast Vegetable Stew with Tom Hunt

We made this one with the brilliant Tom Hunt and honestly it's stuck with us ever since. There's something about roasting the veg on a griddle pan first that gives the whole thing this smoky, caramelised depth you just don't get from chucking everything straight into a pot. The sauce is rich and punchy with smoked paprika, rosemary and a good hit of passata, and the kale stirred through at the end keeps it feeling fresh and hearty at the same time. It's the kind of stew that tastes like it's been on the hob all afternoon, which makes it even more impressive when you tell people how quickly it comes together. Make this tonight, seriously.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Griddle pan
  • Large pan or pot
  • Lid for griddle pan

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp parsley stalks
  • 1 white onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 celery stick
  • 6 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 sprig of rosemary
  • 120ml Passata
  • 100ml water
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 parsnips
  • 1 red onion
  • 120g pearl barley
  • 120g mixed beans
  • 1 handful of kale
  • pumpkin & sunflower seeds

Method

1

Make the sauce

  • Add the onions, garlic, celery, thyme, rosemary, smoked paprika, ground coriander and vinegar to the pan
  • Cook these off until the onions have softened
  • Then add the passata and water and mix everything together
  • Lastly, add a large handful of kale and mix into the sauce
2

Cook the veg

  • Add your chopped carrots, parsnip and red onion to a griddle pan with a bit of oil and mix together so they cook well
  • Put a lid on the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes until they are charred/a little burnt for a depth of flavour
3

Add together

  • Once the veggies are cooked, add them to the sauce
  • Then add in the pearl barely, mixed beans, parsley stalks and mix everything together
4

Finish and serve

  • Add the stew to a bowl with a side of steamed kale and top with some toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds and finally some chopped parsley

Tips & Variations

  • Get a good char on the veg: Don't rush the griddle stage. Let the carrots and parsnip sit without moving them too much so they actually catch and colour. That caramelisation is where a lot of the flavour comes from.
  • Swap the greens: We love kale here but if you've got spinach or cavolo nero in the fridge those work brilliantly too. Just stir them through right at the end so they wilt rather than turn to mush.
  • Season as you go: Tom is a big believer in tasting at every stage, and so are we. Get the seasoning right in the sauce before you add the veg and you'll have a much more balanced final dish.

Why This Works

The real magic here is gridding the carrots, parsnip and red onion before they go anywhere near the sauce. It gives them proper colour and a slightly smoky edge that makes the whole stew taste way more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Then building the sauce with smoked paprika, coriander and a splash of vinegar means every mouthful has that lovely sweet, sour, smoky thing going on.