Moroccan Lentil Stew

Warm up to winter with chef Terry Doel’s Moroccan lentil stew.

November 22, 2016 | | Soups

Vanessa Kreuzer and Terry Doel of Lavender Blue Catering say they’re known for plentiful servings, fresh local sources and balanced sauces – their dill cream sauce for salmon is a trademark. Their Moroccan lentil stew, with its spicy flavours, is not only a winter-warming comfort food, but reflects a new arrow in Terry’s quiver. “I’ve been cooking a lot more vegan and vegetarian recipes,” she says, adding this is also a trend for weddings.

A must-do step is sautéing the spices. “You take the rawness out the spices and open up their pores,” she says. The stew would pair nicely with rice or mashed potatoes, but Terry serves it with one of their signature biscuits for dipping.

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Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot. Stir occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes until they start getting soft. Photo by Pete Paterson.

Moroccan Lentil Stew

Ingredients

  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 3 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
  • 1½ tbsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups fresh diced tomatoes or canned
  • 6 to 7 cups vegetable stock or water
  • 1½ cups cauliflower florets
  • ½ cup dried apricots, sliced
  • ½ cup sultana raisins
  • 2 cups chickpeas, precooked or canned
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 to 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

  1. Dice onions, carrots, celery and zucchini to ½" pieces. Set zucchini aside.
  2. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot. Stir occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes until they start getting soft.
  3. Add garlic and dry spices, and continue to stir for about 1 minute.
  4. Add tomatoes and stock, bring to a gentle boil.
  5. When boil is reached, add zucchini and remaining ingredients.
  6. Turn down to medium-low heat and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until lentils are tender. Lid off. It’s definitely a thick stew.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf and cinnamon stick.
  8. Add some fresh chopped cilantro just before serving.

About the Author More by Tralee Pearce

Tralee Pearce is the deputy editor of In The Hills Magazine.

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Terry Doel, the chef half of the dynamic duo who now run their café and catering company from the Athlete Institute on Highway 9. Photo by Pete Paterson.

Cooking with Lavender Blue Catering

Nov 22, 2016 | Tralee Pearce | Cooking with...

Warm up to winter with chef Terry Doel’s Moroccan lentil stew.

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