Description

Full of aromatic vegetables and yellow potatoes this stew feels like it has been cooking for hours and it’s all done in 30 minutes! Plus it can become a chicken and vegetable stew just as easily! Versatility and deliciousness all in one pot? Count me in!

Ingredients

Scale

1 large onion (small diced)
4 garlic cloves (minced on the microplaner)
1 leek (see note 1, sliced and rinsed)
1 small cabbage (see note 1, thinly shredded by hand or shredder, washed through well)
1 large red pepper (sliced into strips)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
8 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into quarters)
2 cups of water or chicken stock/broth
2.5 pounds chicken If using bone-in I recommend using drumsticks and wings. chopped otherwise cut up the boneless thighs and breasts into bite size pieces (optional)
parsley to garnish
chopped dill to garnish
red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for cooking.

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Instructions

Add about 1 tbsp of olive oil to a medium sized pan and turn to medium heat.(Note 3)
Add chopped onion to the pan and coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper. The salt will help draw the moisture out of the onion which helps with the sweating.
Allow to sweat together for 5 minutes. Add garlic and chili flakes.
While these veggies are cooking up, slice and wash the leeks. You will want to slice them into half moons.
Add the leeks to the veggies and toss everything together. Season with salt and pepper.
Slice up the red pepper into strips and add into the pot along with the rest of the veggies. Stir everything together and let it cook for 5 minutes.
In the meantime shred up the cabbage thinly and wash well.
Peel, wash and quarter the potatoes making sure they are slightly larger than bite size. This was the small and medium red or Yukon Gold potatoes are perfect for this.
Add the cabbage, the potatoes, diced tomatoes and water. IF USING CHICKEN, now is the time to add it. (See note 4.) Nestle the potatoes and the chicken into the mixture so it is surrounded by the liquid.
Turn heat to medium, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Check on the potatoes (and the chicken). The potatoes should be fork tender and the chicken should be completely cooked through. If not, ensure there is enough liquid in the pot for it to keep simmering gently without burning. Add in about half a cup of water at a time to the pot if needed.
Once everything is tender and cooked, remove from heat, check for seasoning and sprinkle with dill and parsley before serving.

Notes

Note 1: Leeks grow in the ground (duh), they are FULL of soil and grit. Therefore I like to slice it first and then use a colander to rinse it out well. This makes it way easier to rinse all the dirt out.

You will want to do the same exact thing for the cabbage. Cut it in half first, then in quarters. Remove your core and start slicing it thinly from the point.
Note 3: In a sense, this recipe is essentially a chop and drop. Since we have the vegetables cooking in sections separately, it only makes it even more logical to just chop up and drop. By multi-tasking this way, you can have a 30 minute meal in no time.
Note 4: Chicken is completely optional but it does make for a great and easy one pot meal. I really love bone-in chicken in here, because it makes me think of my childhood and because the flavor is just fantastic. Keep in mind it will add time to your cooking. Give it a good 15-20 minutes longer if you are using bone-in chicken. But I promise it’s totally worth it.

Category: Stew
Cuisine: Russian