Vegetable stews pose a unique challenge: how to get deep, robust, and savory flavor from ingredients that are packed full of moisture and natural sugars. Without proper treatment, the vegetables in a vegetable stew will turn the dish both watery and sweet.

This recipe uses ingredients with impact as well as cooking technique to give the stew dynamic flavor. For example, mushrooms cooked until well browned add meatiness, a good dose of both sautéed onion and garlic brings a distinct savory character, wine brightens up the flavor with its fruitiness and acidity, and herbs lend an earthy quality and fullness to the stew.

The ten different types of vegetables in this stew are added in more or less three different stages:

1. The mushrooms and aromatics are sautéed before the liquid goes into the pot
2. The hardy root vegetables are added along with the liquid
3. And the quick-cooking vegetables are stirred in near the very end.

These tiered additions ensure great flavor and perfectly cooked vegetables.

Total Cooking Time: 195

Preparation Time: 40

Active Cooking Time: 45

Make Ahead: 2 days in refrigerator

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Difficulty: Intermediate