Red Lentil and Vegetable Stew

"Pink Eyed" Jim Cortina's Note:

Wonderful stew, can be a vegetarian meal on its own. Or you can add some diced or shredded smoked duck, if you like meat. The red lentils break down, and cause this to be like a really rich soup. If you need to stretch this out, you can serve it over white rice, to do a sort of "beans and rice" thing.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 1 cup red lentil
• 1 carrot , finely diced
• 1 stalk celery , finely diced
• ½ medium onion , finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 2 cups vegetable stock or 2 cups chicken stock
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 -4 dashes Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce (optional)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes (do not drain liquid)

Directions:

1. Sauté the carrots, onion, and celery in the olive oil until they start to caramelize a bit.
2. Add the garlic about a minute before the vegetables are finished sautéing.
3. Add the red lentils, and stir until mixed with the vegetables.
4. Add the stock, tomatoes and juice, cumin, and Tabasco, if using.
5. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and reduce heat to medium low.
6. Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.
7. If the liquid all evaporates and the lentils are not done, add a little water to keep the simmer going.

Reviews

[Pamela Z]

I've tried several red lentil stews, and this one is my favorite. I love the cumin and the touch of Tabasco (I used regular, since my store didn't have chipotle). I serve it over egg noodles, since I'm not a rice lover. It was a big hit with my boyfriend, too. Great meatless recipe, thanks for sharing it, Jim!

[Chef #283740]

This was a great recipe for my lunches. I put it over 1/2 c brown rice. It was the perfect lunch for a crisp Fall day.

[CoffeeMommy]

We have made this part of our regular diet and we enjoy it each time. We have it over Basmati and I sometimes add some chopped broccoli to make it a healthy dish-in-a-bowl. The cumin really gives it a great taste!