Classy Potato, Leek and Mushroom Stew with Blue Cheese

This is another of the 150 Best Slow Cooker recipes, and I made it for the first time trying to impress a vegetarian. I have never been fond of strong cheese but I knew that the melted blue would be super tasty. It’s pretty basic stew, but the porto-b shrooms and blue cheese put an elegant spin on it. Serve with thick bread and a salad and you’ll forget there’s no meat.



INGREDIENTS

• 14g dried porcini mushrooms
• 250ml or 1 cup of boiling water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large leeks, mostly just whites, cleaned and sliced thinly
• 4 stalks celery
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sat
• 500g – 1 lb Portobello or cremini mushrooms
• 1 can (796 ml/28 oz) chopped stewed tomatoes, including juice
• 250 ml or 1 cup of undiluted vegetable stock
• 2 to 3 potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
• 125ml of whipping cream
• 90g or 3 oz of blue cheese, grumbled. The better quality, the less harsh it will taste (apparently)

VARIATIONS

Use less blue cheese since it can get pretty strong, or don't use it at all!

DIRECTIONS

• Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in the boiling water for 30 minutes. Keep the water, but pat mushrooms dry and chop finely.

• Heat oil in a pan, add leeks and celery and stir until softened.

• Add garlic, thyme, pepper, salt and the porcini mushrooms and stir for 1 minute.

• Stir in the portobello or cremini mushrooms. Add the can of tomatoes, vegetable stock and the mushroom water that was set aside and bring to a boil.

• Combine potatoes and the contents of the pan and mix well.

• Cook until potatoes are soft: 8 to 10 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
  

• When potatoes are ready add the whipping cream and blue cheese. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

This isn’t the most budget light meal even though it’s vegetarian, but it’s hearty and delicious and impresses the meatless