White Bean & Garlic Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 head garlic (15-20 cloves)
2 tablespoons water
3 -4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 cup vegetable stock or 1 cup broth
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Break the garlic bulb into cloves and peel off the skin, leaving cloves whole.
If some of the cloves are very large, you may cut them in half lengthwise.
Spray a large, non-stick pan lightly with olive oil.
Add the onion and saute until it turns a rich, medium-brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, carrots ans celery and saute for 1 more minute.
Add the beans, tomatoes, bay leaves, and vegetable broth.
Cover the pot and simmer for about an hour, adding water if it gets too thick.
Stir in the salt and pepper.
If you're serving the stew right away, add all the parsley and the lemon juice.
If you're serving it later or at room temperature, add the parsley and lemon juice right before serving.