Hearty Lentil Stew
This hearty lentil stew is filling and satisfying, thanks to chickpeas, kale, potatoes and spicy soy chorizo. Garnished with a dollop of vegan yogurt, creamy avocado and a crispy-crunchy, fried rosemary and chickpea combination, you'll be savoring every last spoonful!
I like to serve this with quick and easy socca, which are chickpea-flour and olive oil based crepes (see the notes below this recipe for how to make them). The batter for socca needs to rest for 30 minutes before cooking, so I recommend mixing this batter up first and then setting it aside while you prepare the stew. Once the stew has finished, keep it warm on low heat and then cook the socca so that everything arrives at the table nice and hot.
I'm always looking for ways to save time in the kitchen. This recipe can be made using a lentil/onion mixture that is also used in my Creamy Butternut Squash Poblanos. Make the lentil/onion mixture one day, and reserve half of it to use another day when making this recipe (or make it for this recipe and then reserve half for the Poblano recipe). The mixture will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked red lentils (see notes)
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 3/4 cup scrubbed, diced carrots
- 3/4 cup peeled, diced potatoes (any kind of potato will work)
- 3/4 cup diced yellow onion (see notes)
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped.
- 1 12-ounce package soy chorizo (I use the Trader Joe's brand)
- Several branches fresh rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Non-dairy yogurt for garnish (optional)
- 1 large avocado, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, combine the cooked lentils and 4 cups of vegetable stock. Heat over medium heat.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add the celery, carrots, potatoes, onions (if using - see notes), a large pinch of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of minced, fresh rosemary leaves. Saute until carrots and celery are just tender. Add the vegetables to the large pot with the lentils and stock, along with several grinds of black pepper.
- Add 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, and saute the soy chorizo until it starts to brown. Transfer the soy chorizo to the large soup pot.
- Without wiping out the skillet, add the kale and saute for about 2 minutes. Transfer the kale to the large soup pot.
- Add 1 scant cup of the chickpeas to the large soup pot, along with 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt (taste and add more salt as desired).
- Bring the large pot to a simmer and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet and increase the heat a bit. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. As soon as the oil shimmers, add several branches of fresh rosemary, and the remaining chickpeas (pat them dry before adding). Use tongs to turn the rosemary frequently and to stir the chickpeas. You want the rosemary to get nice and crispy but not burnt, and the chickpeas to get golden brown. You may need to remove the rosemary before the chickpeas are finished. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.
- Ladle the stew into bowls, and top each with a dollop of vegan yogurt (optional), chopped avocado (optional) and some fried chickpeas. Holding a fried rosemary stem over the bowl, run your fingers down the stem to scatter the fried leaves over the stew.
- Serve with socca, if desired (see notes below).
Notes
If using the lentil/onion mixture from the recipe for Creamy Butternut Squash Poblanos, omit the 3/4 cup chopped onions listed in the above ingredients.
If you are not using the lentil/onion mixture from the Creamy Butternut Squash Poblanos recipe, then cook the lentils as follows:
Combine 1/2 cup dried lentils with 1 cup vegetable stock in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. There may be some stock left that hasn't boiled off and that's fine, no need to drain it as it can add liquid to the stew.
To make socca:
Combine 1 cup chickpea flour, 1 cup water, 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat a skillet ove rmedium-high heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with a light film of olive oil. When oil shimmers, pour some of the batter into the pan, tilting the pan back and forth in a somewhat circular motion in order to distribute a thin layer of batter over the bottom of the pan. Cook until the edges begin to brown, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until it is golden brown. Remove to a plate and repeat the process until you have used all of the batter.
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