Warm Mixed Vegetable Stew with Baked Goat Cheese

The combination here is only one of many, though I never use more than seven to nine vegetables, and I never use tomatoes unless they are cherry tomatoes, because they water down the sauce and dominate the flavors. The addition of chopped garlic and herbs just before you bring the stew to the table causes a burst of rich fragrance that perfects the dish.

I prefer water to chicken stock for a cooking liquid—the resulting sauce has a much fresher and purer vegetable taste—and I use ei