Cosy lentil stew

Apocalypse notes

Irish take on Moroccan Harira ☘️

This is a hearty tomato soup that thickens up to a tasty stew during cooking. It’s great for getting vegetables in if you’re feeling under the weather with covid, and a pot will keep you going for lunch and dinner for a few days. 

Served with the bread it’s hearty enough to do a main, or a nice spicy starter for a mediterranean dinner party. 

The warm spices (like cumin, cinnamon) makes it versatile for both summer and winter menus. 

I’ve added 2 potatoes but it could handle a few more, and left out the coriander but you can add it at the end if you’re a fan.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 large onions, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, sliced

• 2 tsp tumeric

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 2 red chillies (one big, one small), deseeded and sliced

• 500g passata

• 1.5l chicken or vegetable stock

• 200g green lentils

• 2 carrots, chopped into small pieces

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

• 5 celery sticks, chopped into small pieces

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Method

Fry the onions and garlic in the oil to soften (about 5 minutes)

Add the spices (2 tsp turmeric, 2tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cinnamon) and chillis and mix through to cover the onions and garlic. 

Pour in the tomato passata, stock and the lentils. 

Add the carrots, potato and celery sticks and bring to the boil. 

Simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on, then 10-15 minutes more with the lid off to reduce the liquid and until the vegetables are tender.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with toasted crusty buttered bread and lemon wedges for squeezing over. 

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Tip: The next day stew will be richer and thicker if you store it in the fridge overnight.

If you have any corn tortilla wraps going old, grill them for a few minutes to puff them up and serve for tearing and dipping as a delicious gluten free delicious alternative to the bread.