Asparagus Chick'n Corn Stew Oil-Free Vegan (made with soy curls)
A balanced hearty umami-packed stew harnessing the subtle sweetness of corn and fresh asparagus. Soy curl chick'n strips make this vegan main course meaty and filling, satisfying the occasional yearning for Old World European flavor. Blended cannellini beans add a layer of creamy plant-powered protein.
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- large mesh strainer
- large baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- medium or large cooking pot (6 to 7 quarts is ideal)
- blender (a food processor would also work)
Ingredients
- 4 oz soy curls (about 2 cups)
- 5 to 6 cups vegetable broth* (divided)
- 1 Tbsp liquid or coconut aminos (or sub with soy sauce or tamari)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch (divided)
- 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1½ to 2 inch pieces)** (weight prior to trimming)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt (divided)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cup shallots, diced (or sub with white or yellow onion)
- 1 large stalk celery, finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
- 1 large potato, cubed*** (about 1½ cups cubed potato is ideal)
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 1 Tbsp shiitake mushroom powder
- 1 pinch nutmeg or mace (optional)
- 1½ cup cooked cannellini beans, strained (a 15.5 can is fine)
- ¾ cup white wine (optional, you can use broth instead)
- 3 Tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped (or use 1 Tbsp dry tarragon****)
Instructions
Prepare Soy Curls
- Place 2 cups of vegetable broth and the liquid or coconut aminos in a medium size bowl.
- Add the soy curls to the bowl and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Use a large mesh strainer to strain the soy curls, discarding the soaking liquid.
- Squeeze out excess liquid from the soy curls by squeezing them with your hands or by pressing on them with a large spatula or spoon while they're still in the strainer.
Soak soy curls before you start prepping other ingredients. Then while the soy curls are soaking you can use that time to chop and prep other ingredients.
Roast Soy Curls and Asparagus
- Preheat oven to 400 ℉ (200 ℃) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place strained, squeezed out, soy curls on the parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the soy curls with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and tossed until the soy curls are evenly coated.
- Add chopped fresh asparagus to the soy curls on the baking pan.
- Sprinkle soy curls and asparagus with smoked paprika, garlic powder, pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt. Toss so that seasonings are evenly distributed. The soy curls and asparagus get tossed together during this step. Arrange the soy curls and asparagus so that they cover the parchment paper in a single layer.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 400 ℉ (200 ℃) oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing them once halfway through. Note that although you shouldn’t burn the soy curls, don’t worry if they become dry and crunchy, later they’ll soften up when they’re added to the stew and that crunchy dryness will actually create a better texture.
- Remove the baking sheet the from oven and set aside.
The roasted ingredients won't be needed until the very end of the recipe, so while the asparagus and soy curls are in the oven you should proceed with all the other steps.
Oil-Free Sauté Vegetables
- Pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth into a medium to large pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, keeping more broth close at hand.
- Add sliced diced shallots to the pot, lower heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until shallots start to become translucent, adding no more than a couple of teaspoons of broth at a time, as needed, to keep shallots from burning and/or sticking.
- To the shallots in the pot, add the celery and minced fresh garlic. Sauté for an additional 4 minutes. Continue to add little bits of broth as necessary to prevent sticking.
- To the vegetables in the pot, add cubed potatoes, corn kernels, shiitake mushroom powder and nutmeg (if using). Sauté for 2 to 3 more minutes, adding a tiny bit more broth if needed to prevent sticking.
You will need up to ½ cup of broth for the oil-free sauté process.
If you're using dried tarragon instead of fresh you can add it during this step.
Simmering Phase
- Cover the vegetables in the pot with 2 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes until all the cubed potatoes are soft and tender.
Process the Cannellini Beans
- While the veggies are simmering, place strained cannellini beans, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and ¾ of white wine or vegetable broth in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. This should take less than a minute in a high speed blender but could take longer in a conventional blender or food processor.
Putting Together the Stew
- Once the potatoes are tender, stir the cannellini bean blend into the pot.
- Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Allow the contents of the pot to boil 1 to 2 to allow the mixture to thicken.
- Turn off the heat and add the roasted seasoned asparagus and soy curls to the pot. Gently stir so that the asparagus and soy curls are heated.
- Stir in the fresh chopped tarragon leaves.
Suggestions for Serving and Storing
- This stew should be served piping hot.
- To save for later, allow the stew to cool and store in the fridge sealed a in sealed container. Freezing this stew would probably work but I have not tried it.
- Although this stew is a balanced and filling stand-alone main dish it also pairs nicely with rustic whole grain bread or my Easy WFPB Spelt Biscuits.
Notes
*I usually use bouillon cubes to make broth and for this particular recipe I like to use Not Chick'N vegan bouillon.
**Frozen asparagus can be used instead. Or you can make this stew with fresh or frozen green beans. Frozen veggies should be thawed and patted dry before using
***Potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled. It's a matter of personal preference. I usually don't peel my potatoes for this dish.
****If you're using dry tarragon instead of fresh, you should add it to the recipe when you add the shiitake mushroom .
Tried this recipe? Let me know how it was!