Jono & Jules do food & wine

It’s not too often that we taste something that is nothing like anything we’ve had before but that’s what happened with this dish. A deeply savoury, packed with umami flavours, and very satisfying veggie dish. We were a bit suspicious of the Parmesan cream but it’s exactly what the stew needs to enrich it. Great stuff!

Wine Suggestion: This is a great match for a dry Oloroso Sherry with it’s nuttiness and umami characters playing an extra chorus alongside these interesting flavours in the stew. If Sherry is not your thing look for a good northern-Rhône white; our current favourite is the Domaine Coursodon Etincelle, an unclassified Roussanne-Viognier blend that is textured, purfumed and complex.

Vegetable stew with saffron, curry & Parmesan cream – serves 4

• 4 cloves of garlic, save one clove and finely chop the rest
• 1 onion, diced
• olive oil or butter for frying
• 200g celeriac, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
• 3 potatoes, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
• a pinch of saffron
• 2 tsp medium curry powder
• 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes
• Parmesan rind
• 400g tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 slices of multigrain bread
• a handful of mixed herbs, e.g. flat-leaf parsley, basil or dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp miso
• 1 tsp runny honey
• a pinch of dried chilli flakes

FOR THE PARMESAN CREAM

• 100g mayonnaise
• 4 tbsp finely grated Parmesan

Fry the onion in the oil or butter over a low-medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the celeriac and chopped garlic, turn up the heat and fry for a few minutes.

Add the potatoes, spices, tomatoes, cheese rind, 600ml of water and plenty of seasoning. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the beans and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut edges on the slices of bread. Sprinkle the herbs on top and fry in oil and/or butter in a frying pan until golden.

Combine the mayonnaise and Parmesan in a bowl to make the Parmesan cream.

Remove the cheese rind from the stew and season with the miso, honey, chilli flakes and check for seasoning.

Serve the stew with the fried bread and Parmesan cream on the side.

(Original recipe by Ylva Bergqvist in Olive magazine, Christmas 2018.)