Vegetable Stew
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, sliced
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
salt and pepper
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
1 (25-ounce) can kidney beans
1/2 cup torn or chopped basil (10 to 12 leaves)
DIRECTIONS
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, bay leaf, chopped garlic and onions and let them sweat out while preparing the rest of the veggies. Chop and add veggies in order of longest cooking time: potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add tomatoes, stock and beans and cook 5-10 minutes more, to heat through and soften vegetables. Turn heat off and stir in basil.