Autumn Vegetable Stew

Here is the recipe for the stew I promised!

Autumn Vegetable Stew with Cheddar-Garlic Crumble Crust

For the Cheddar Topping:

2 c. flour( we used whole wheat)

1 tsp. salt

1 T. plus 1 tsp. baking powder

6 T. butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

1-1/3 c. heavy cream( we used milk)

1 ½ tsp. finely chopped garlic

Pinch of coarse ground pepper

½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

For the Vegetable stew

About 3 T. olive oil

About 3 T. butter

1 red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch rounds

1 medium celery root, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces(we used russet potatoes)

1 acorn squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces( we used butternut squash)

1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces( we used sweet potatoes)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 c. dry white wine

3 T. tomato paste (we skipped this)

3 c. chicken, vegetable broth or water

1 T. fresh chopped marjoram( we used dried)

Salt and pepper to taste

To make topping, mix flour, salt and baking powder in large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry knife until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cream, garlic, and pepper. Add the cheddar cheese and mix lightly with a wooden spoon until mixture just holds together. Let rest.

To make the stew. Heat the oven to 400. In a large saucepan, heat about ½ the oil and butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery root, cook stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned about 7 min. Transfer the cooked veggies to a large 13x9 inch pan` . Add the rest of the butter and oil to the skillet. Add the squash and parsnip and sauté until they are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for another couple minutes, and then add all to the 13x9 pan. Increase the heat and add to high and add the wine, paste and broth to sauté pan. Bring to boil. Scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom, lower heat and simmer about 3 min. Add this liquid to the baking pan with the veggies, sprinkle with marjoram and season with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake the veggies just until tender about 30mins. Remove foil. Using a large spoon, dot the surface of the veggies with Ping-Pong ball sized dollops of cheddar topping. The top of the casserole should look like the surface of the moon; bumps and craters are ideal. Return the casserole to the oven, uncovered until topping is cooked and browned about 25 min.