Vegan and oil free
Serves 6
Scarlet Runner Beans are huge, beautiful, toothsome, and delicious. Worth seeking out. I order mine on line from Rancho Gordo. To cook them I use my Yummy Vegan Instant Pot Garbanzo Beans recipe from nansimonsen.com, recipes, main dishes, but set timer for 20 minutes.
Heat a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven to medium-high and when hot add the leeks and stir to distribute evenly. As they begin to lightly brown, stir in a few tablespoons of broth to deglaze the pan. When it evaporates, stir in the celery, garlic and a bit of broth to deglaze again. When lightly brown, add the sliced mushrooms, stir well, and cover for a few minutes to bring out the moisture of the mushrooms. Uncover and cook on medium high to evaporate the juices. Stir in the seasonings, then the tomatoes, the beans, and 3 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, add the zucchini, cover lightly and cook about 15 minutes, or until zucchini is just tender. Add more broth if the ragout is thicker then you like. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste.
Serve with brown rice or polenta if desired. Garnish with sliced basil or chopped parsley.
As with most stews and soups, this is even better the next day, after flavors have married. Enjoy!
