Jackfruit stew inspired by the Greek classic: Kleftiko

**prep time** 10 mins
total time 2 hours
**serves** 4-6

Jackfruit is an increasingly popular ingredient used in vegan cooking to imitate meat. It has that stringy texture which, if cooked right, can provide a meaty texture in your recipe. This particular stew is inspired by a Greek kleftiko, which usually uses lamb. We’ve swapped the lamb out for the jackfruit which absorbs all the delicious flavour from the other ingredients.

For this delicious and wholesome stew you’ll need:

Onions
Garlic bulb
Potatoes
Carrots
Jackfruit
Large tomatoes
Red pepper
Oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and cinnamon
Lemon
Vegetable stock
Tomato purée
Black olives (optional)

The recipe is super easy, as it’s a slow cooking recipe. You can add all of the ingredients, chopped up into chunky bite sizes, into a deep casserole dish, or your slow cooker. The lemon, garlic and rosemary will really add a depth of flavour to the dish as it cooks in the oven.

After the main ingredients have been cooking for a while, we can add the jackfruit. The reason for not adding them in at the start is to stop the jackfruit from becoming too soft. As it doesn’t behave like meat (and is a fruit) overcooking can ruin its texture. So leave this until 30 minutes from the end of cooking, stirring it through the other ingredients.

It works perfectly served with a load of chunky bread, and is wonderful for leftovers as, like any stew, the flavour develops over time. If you’re someone who enjoys spice, try adding a bit of chilli and paprika to the recipe to give it that extra kick!

INGREDIENTS

2 medium onions, cut into wedges
1 whole bulb of garlic cut in half
400g potatoes, cut into approx 3cm chunks (can peel them, but I don’t bother)
3 carrots, cut into chunks
2 tins jackfruit, drained
6 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 red pepper, cut in half and sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp of cinnamon
2 springs of rosemary
Zest of 1 lemon
1 lemon, cut in half
2 bay leaf
Salt & pepper
750ml vegetable stock
3 tbsps of tomato purée
A handful of black olives (optional)

To serve

Crusty bread

METHOD

Heat oven to 160°C.
Place all the ingredients except the jackfruit into a deep casserole dish (or a slow cooker), give them a good stir to combine, and place in the oven for around 2 hours.
30 mins before end, add the drained jackfruit, and stir.
Once ready, check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve with crusty bread.

notes

Check the thickness of the sauce when you remove the stew 30 mins before the end of cooking, and if you wish for a thicker sauce add a tablespoon of cornflour to a little water, combine, and add to the stew.
This is a gently flavoured stew - should you hanker for more spice, add a sprinkle of chilli flakes, or some smoked paprika.