Belgian Beer Stew

Now here is something I cooked last week when it was a bit chillier. However today I have a horrendous fever and cold, but writing about this recipe warms my heart a little bit. So greetings from the bottom of the bed, hopefully back up and cooking soon!

Ever since my last holiday to Belgium, I have been planning a dish to cook with Belgian beer, as I brought a few nice bottles with me. I chose to make a vegetable and soya stew out of it and here's the recipe. The potatoes I used were ruby red and so is the award winning Gouden Carolus Classic beer, so there's a bit of a ruby red theme going on. 

Ingredients

1 cup soya protein chunks

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 carrot

8 small potatoes

3 small onions

3 garlic cloves

1 tbsp vegetable stock powder + 200-300 ml water

330 ml / 1 bottle dark Belgian beer (I used Gouden Carolus Classic beer 8,5 %)

Fresh sage leaves

Fresh flat leaf parsley leaves

Black pepper to taste

Method

Prepare the soya protein chunks as described on the packet. Mine needed to be boiled in water for a few minutes and then they can be fried in oil, which I also did. Pour a little soy sauce on them and set to side for later.

Chop the vegetables: carrots into slices, potatoes into halves or quarters depending on the size, onions into thin half rings and garlic finely.

Start slow-cooking the onions in olive oil at low heat and under the lid. They should simmer there until they start getting brown and very soft. Stir them occasionally. Then add the chopped garlic and simmer some more.

After that the potatoes and carrots can be added, first stirred in for a few minutes and then the beer can be added. Let it cook for a few minutes and then also add the vegetable stock.

Cook under lid for at least 40 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the flavours have blended nicely.

Season with black pepper, parsley and sage and add more beer or stock, if needed. I didn't add any salt, because I felt that the beer and vegetable stock added enough saltiness.

And it's all done! Enjoy!

Your VegHog