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From:	davidg (24.22.92.13)
Subject:	Rethinking vegetable stews
Date:	May 26, 2008 at 11:48 pm PST

In Reply to: What do you use to flavor soups/stews w/o salt? posted by Hoffshi on March 14, 2008 at 3:06 pm:

I have found that tasteless vegetables means I overcooked them.

It is especially easy to overcook vegetables when you cook them
at too high of a temperature. To me, vegetables taste best when
stewed until just tender. Beyond that you get mush and
tastelessness. There is nothing wrong with adding herb
seasonings to vegetables. But if you need herbs to rescue you
every time, then you need to rethink how you cook your
vegetables. The natural flavor of vegetables should not need
herbs.

Slow cooking of vegetables at a lower temperature makes it easier
to test for proper taste/doneness. Here is a technique I use:
Use a thick walled pot (porcelain, cast iron, waterless, etc.). Bring
about a third of a cup of water (or any liquid) to a boil on medium
heat. The walls of the pot should be hot. Add chopped
vegetables, cover, reduce heat to low. Start testing for proper
taste/tenderness in 25-30 minutes. Cook longer if desired. I
never go past 40 minutes.

I find this slow stewing technique really brings out the natural
flavor of whatever vegetable(s) I am using. I occasionally add
herbs for variety, but it is usually not necessary for flavor.

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