I Cook from my Bounty: Curried Vegetable Stew & Celery Root and Carrot Salad

I ponder my bounty and decide to make Vegetable Soup. I start by sauteing onion, garlic, carrots and celery. My plan is to then add zucchini and white beans. 
After I've finished the first step, I realize it's going to be a bit flavorless without the herbs I want. So midway, I change my mind and make Curried Vegetable Stew!  Genius!

Recipe: Curried Vegetable Stew
Great additions to this stew include fresh basil or cilantro, fresh or canned tomatoes, other vegetables like bell pepper, cauliflower and broccoli, all of which should be added at the end, so as not to overwhelm. You could also cut everything into smaller pieces and add chicken stock to make soup.

Be sure to cut the vegetables in
a reasonably consistent
 size so that they cook evenly. 

Yield: about 8 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic clove, minced
3 celery stalks, including the greens, chopped
3 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder 
1 sweet potato, scrubbed and diced
2 cups water
1 large or 2 small zucchini, diced
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed

Place a soup pot on the stove and set the heat to medium high. When it is hot, add the oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and curry and cook until everything is tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the sweet potato and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and cook, covered for 10 minutes.

Ad the zucchini, white beans and remaining 1 1/2 cups water, cover and simmer until the zucchini is tender, about 15 minutes. 

Serve right away or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. (I froze half of it).

Chickpeas would be a more traditional addition but
I had only white beans and they were great. 

Recipe: Celery Root and Carrot Salad
Though I love this combination, it's either a ton of work or in need of a good quality food processor fitted with a blade for julienning. 

I marvel at the fact that anyone
thought to eat this
gnarly looking vegetable. 

Yield: about 8 cups 

3 tablespoons olive oil 
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 celery root, peeled and cut in matchsticks
4 carrots, scrubbed and cut in matchsticks 
1/2- 1 bunch parsley, finely choppped

Put the olive oil, lemon juice and mustard in a medium size bowl and  mix well. Add the celery root, carrots and parsley and mix again. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.