Summer Vegetable Stew from Ikaria
This Greek recipe for a summer vegetable stew is from Ikaria, the Blue Zone Greek island of longevity. It’s called soufico and in this version, from t he south side of the island, it’s basically all the summer vegetables cooked together in a skillet with extra virgin Greek olive oil and herbs. It’s a classic Ikaria longevity recipe, a plant-based, easy, delicious one-pot stew that is redolent of Greek summer. All you need are great raw ingredients, excellent extra virgin Greek olive oil, a little sea salt, thyme and dried Greek oregano, and voila, you’ll make yourself a Mediterranean diet recipe that’s satisfying and healthy.
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin Greek olive oil plus more, for drizzling
- 1 large red onion coarsely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium eggplant trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large green bell pepper trimmed, seeded and cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 large Yukon gold or other potato peeled and cut into a ¾-inch dice
- 1 large zucchini trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup rosé or white wine optional or water
- 1 large tomato grated on the coarse side of a hand grater
- 6 – 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
- 2 teaspoons petimezi
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet and cook the onion over medium heat until wilted and glistening. Stir in the garlic.
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Add the eggplant cubes next and toss to coat in the olive oil. Next add the peppers, then the potato cubes and toss to coat in the oil. Cook all together for a few minutes until slightly softened.
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Stir in the zucchini and toss to coat in the olive oil.
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Add the wine, if using. Then pour in the grated tomato. Season with sea salt and thyme, cover and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still a little firm.
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Add the petimezi and oregano, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes or so for the flavors to meld.
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Serve, drizzled with a little extra virgin Greek olive oil.
