Haitian Vegetable Stew (Legim)
Legim Say it: lay-GEEM
Legim is Haiti’s slow-simmered vegetable stew, a thick, savory medley of cabbage, chayote, eggplant, carrots and green beans cooked with seasoned beef. It is a Sunday-table staple, often served over white rice with a spoonful of sauce. The vegetables melt into a rich, aromatic gravy built on epis, tomato paste and earthy spices, while the meat adds depth. Each household has its own mix, but the goal is always a hearty, deeply flavored stew.
Haitian Vegetable Stew (Legim)
Legim
Pronounced lay-GEEM
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the stew
Method
Toss the beef with 1 tbsp (15 ml) epis and 1/2 tsp salt. Let it sit for 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate overnight for deeper seasoning.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, turning occasionally, until deeply browned on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic, scotch bonnet and remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) epis. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent and the mixture is fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, cloves, black pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the paste darkens slightly.
Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Add the water and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the beef is partly tender but still firm.
Add the chayote, cabbage, carrots, eggplant and green beans. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chayote pierces easily with a knife and the stew coats the back of a spoon.
Stir in the spinach and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until wilted and bright green. Remove the bay leaf and the whole chile, if using. Taste and adjust salt, then stir in the lime juice. If the stew is too thick, add a splash of water; if it is loose, simmer a few minutes longer.
Serve hot over white rice, spooning extra sauce over the top.
Regional variant: Crab Legim (Legim ak Krab)
Replace the beef with 1 lb (450 g) crab meat or 2 whole blue crabs, cleaned and cracked. Brown the crab briefly in oil, then simmer it with the vegetables, adding picked crab meat in the last 10 minutes so it stays tender. Use water or seafood stock instead of beef stock, and serve with rice and lime wedges.
Cook's notes
- For a quick epis, blend 1/2 small onion, 1/2 green bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 scallion, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 scotch bonnet, 2 tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp salt; refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- For a thicker legim, mash a few pieces of chayote or eggplant against the side of the pot near the end of cooking.
- A whole scotch bonnet adds aroma with less heat; pierce it once if you want more spice, and remove it before serving.
Serve with
Serve over white rice or diri kole, with fried plantains and a cold drink.
Make ahead and storage
Legim tastes even better the next day; cool, refrigerate for up to 3 days, and reheat gently with a splash of water. It freezes well for up to 2 months.
