Ben Johnson Vegetable Stew

INGREDIENTS

      o 3 potatoes, or 1/2 lb / 225 g yams
      o 1/2 lb / 225 g pumpkin
      o 1 cho-cho (or small cucumber or small zucchini)
      o 1 small turnip
      o 1 onion, chopped
      o 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
      o 2 stalks celery, chopped
      o 1/4 t hot pepper seeded and chopped finely
      o 1 sweet pepper, chopped
      o 2 T margarine
      o 2 T prepared mustard
      o 1-2 T molasses
      o 3 T tamari
      o 1 cup vegetable stock
      o 1 cup beer (preferably Red Stripe)
      o 2 medium tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
      o 4 pimento grains (or 1/2 t Jamaican allspice)
      o 1 t basil
      o 1/4 t thyme
      o 1 bay leaf
      o 1 whole, unripe hot pepper
      o Salt to taste
      o 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 

METHOD
Scrub and trim the potatoes or peel and wash the yams, quarter lengthwise and slice in 1/2 inch / 13 mm slices. Slice the pumpkin, cho-cho and turnip the same thickness as the potatoes and steam these vegetables with the potatoes.

Saute the onion, garlic, celery, hot pepper and sweet pepper in the margarine until the onion is transparent.

Mix mustard, molasses, tamari and stock. In a saucepan, combine the sauce/stock mixture, steamed vegetables, sauteed vegetables, tomatoes, pimento grains (allspice), basil, thyme, bay leaf and whole hot pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, add the salt and parsley and thicken the sauce by cooking uncovered for another 5 minutes.

Serve with rice.