Autumn Stew Recipe (Ragout of Vegetables in Miso Broth)

*photo by Dexter McQueen

Autumn is associated with the pungent flavour, which stimulates lung Qi, and is found in foods such as radishes, turnips, fennel, onions, leeks, mustard greens, and ginger. Here we offer a recipe for an autumn stew that celebrates some of these vegetables of the season.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp sesame oil (not toasted oil)

6 cups water

1 leek, sliced 1/4” thick   

1 carrot, diagonal cut   

1/4 buttercup or kabocha squash, sliced 1/4” thick 

1/2 fennel, sliced 1/4” thick

1/2 lotus root, cut into rounds

3 Tbsp barley miso   

3 Tbsp mellow yellow miso

1 tsp ginger juice

1/2 bunch watercress sprigs           

Directions

Heat sesame oil in a stew pot. Add leek, carrot, squash, fennel, and lotus root and sauté until translucent. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer until all vegetables are tender. With a strainer placed into the broth, stir in the miso with a wooden spoon until dissolved, season with ginger juice, and garnish with watercress.