Cacciatore translates to ‘hunter’. But who says the chicken needs to be the one who is hunted? This vegan version is hugely satisfying with an array of fresh vegetables in a swoon-worthy broth. Don’t forget to serve with chunks of Italian crusty bread for the ultimate food pleasure. Excerpt from the cookbook "Discovering Vegan Italian" by Nadia Fragnito.
SERVES 4 | 35 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons olive oil + extra to serve
250g button [Field]mushrooms
½ medium [Field]eggplant, diced
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 [Field]carrot, diced
½ [Field]capsicum, sliced
½ cup vegan dry [Field]red [Field]wine
400g canned diced tomatoes
400g canned butter [Field]beans
½ cup whole black [Field]olives
1 cup ‘chicken’ style liquid stock
¼ cup fresh [Field]parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
cracked black pepper
METHOD
Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms and eggplant, fry for a few minutes at a high heat, until brown.
Remove mushrooms and eggplant from pan and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan. Lower the heat and add the onions and sauté for several minutes. Add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
Add carrot and capsicum. Fry for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and simmer until wine is completely reduced. Add the tomatoes, olives, beans and stock. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the pre-cooked mushrooms, eggplant, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer for a further 5 minutes. Before serving, drizzle generously with olive oil.
Serve the [Field]cacciatore on its own with crusty bread or serve over pasta, polenta or mashed potatoes.
