Vegetable stew recipe

Ingredients

• 2–3 dried tomatoes
• 3–4 tomatoes
• ½ zucchini
• ½ cucumber
• 2 scallions
• 1 tbsp agave syrup or 2 medjool dates
• 6 2⁄3 cups spinach
• pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4–5 tbsp dried seaweed
• handful of Brussels sprouts or 2–3 broccoli stems
• 1 ear of corn
• ½ bunch cilantro
• ½ bunch dill
• 4–5 tbsp pine nuts
• tamari, to serve

1. To make the stew, put the dried tomatoes into a small bowl, cover with cold water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Strain the dried tomatoes, saving the soaking water for another recipe. Remove the fresh tomatoes from their stems. Chop the zucchini, cucumber, and scallions, including the greens.
2. To make the six toppings, first put the seaweed into a bowl. Cover it with cold water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain just before using. Coarsely chop the Brussels sprouts, or divide the broccoli into small florets. Remove the leaves and silk from the cob of corn. Stand the cob of corn upright on a cutting board. Working from the top downward, use a large, sharp knife to slice the kernels off the cob. Pick the cilantro leaves, and chop the dill coarsely. Without using any oil, toast the pine nuts in a frying pan until they are golden brown. Put each topping into a small bowl.
3. Place all the ingredients for the stew into a blender. Slowly purée the vegetables in the order listed to ensure that the stew has an optimal consistency. Start by puréeing the tomatoes, and then add the zucchini and cucumber but process them only very briefly. Then, add the scallions and the agave syrup or pitted dates. Finally, add the spinach. Season with the cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
4. Ladle the vegetable stew into shallow bowls. Set out the toppings on the table in little bowls, and the tamari, to serve, and flavor the stew as desired.