Getting a spoonful of this inviting stew and a bit of the tender sage dumplings all in one bite is like knowing what true love is. Sage is my essential cool-weather herb—its peppery taste and delicious fragrance remind me of the perfect southern fall. This dish is easily customized to add your favorite veggies, and guess what? No mushy dumplings here!
Serves: 4 to 6
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 large russet potatoes, diced
10 oz (300 g) cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 large carrots, coarsely chopped
5 cups (1.2 L) vegetable broth
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce or liquid aminos
2 tsp (10 ml) agave syrup (optional)
1 tsp dried sage
¼ tsp dried thyme
1⅓ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried sage
2/3 cup (160 ml) nondairy milk
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
To make the vegetable stew, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes, reducing the heat as needed to prevent burning, or until the onion is starting to caramelize. Season the garlic and onion with the salt and black pepper.
Add the potatoes, mushrooms and carrots. Stir to combine, and season the vegetables with salt and black pepper. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the broth, soy sauce and agave syrup (if using). Stir to combine. Add the sage and thyme.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the stew to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
While the stew is simmering, prepare the sage dumplings. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the salt and sage.
Stir the milk and oil into the flour mixture until fully combined. Set the dumpling batter aside.
When the vegetables are cooked through, season the stew with a bit more salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Reduce the heat to low and drop 1- to 2-tablespoon (15- to 30-g) lumps of the dumpling batter all over the top of the stew.
Cover the pot and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a dumpling comes out clean. Serve immediately.