Chef Tara Punzone is the Chef & Owner of tasty vegan Los Angeles restaurant Pura Vita LA. Chef Tara is an Italian American from New York, who has thrived on a vegan diet for over 30 years. Her passion for healthy southern Italian food has been evolving since her childhood when she made the decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle. It was then Tara began converting all of her family’s traditional dishes to vegan versions of the same, without compromise. For the past 20 years Chef Tara has worked alongside many inspirational chefs, honing her skills and preparing to make her childhood dream become a reality.
Today she shares her Giambotta, which is a traditional summer vegetable stew from Calabria, Italy (where her grandma was from.) Tara says; “My Grandma used to make it for me all the time. It is vegan by nature, no changes!”
Ingredients:
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Yellow Onion diced
- 1 Cup Celery diced
- 1 Cup Carrots diced
- 2 Tbsp Garlic
- 3 tsp Thyme, fresh stem removed
- 3 tsp Tarragon
- 1/4 tsp Red Chili Flake
- 2 Cups Potatoes, Yukon Gold dice, large
- 1 Cups Eggplant skinned, diced
- 1 Cup Red Bell Peppers
- 1 28oz can Whole Peeled Tomato blended **San Marzano is suggested**
- 2 each Bay Leaves
- 1/4 Cup Parsley, fresh use stems, chopped
- 1 Cup Garbanzo Beans Pre-cooked or Boxed
- 1 Cup Zucchini diced
- 1/2 Tbsp Salt
- 1/2 Tbsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Basil, fresh tear into small pieces
Instructions:
Saute onions, celery carrots, garlic and spices for 8-10 minutes.
Add Potatoes, cook 5 minutes.
Add all other ingredients excpet basil. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Veg should be firm, not mushy.
Remove from heat add basil.
Serve with toasted ciabatta bread!