Tami Noyes ~ With the change in the weather, like just about everybody else, we're craving comfort food. Equally delicious after a night of trick-or-treating, or after casting your vote in November, this is anything but bland.

This hearty stew can be made to your own heat level by increasing the harissa to taste. Harissa is a Tunisian hot chili sauce that gets its spice from bird's eye chili peppers, serrano peppers and other hot chillis. Harissa is typically sold in paste form, but you may also see a powdered version in the spice section of natural food stores. If you don't have harissa, spice it up with berbere or even chili powder. Chili powder makes it more like a traditional 'bowl of red', but whatever you use, this will warm you up from the inside.

Serve this stew with a crusty bread to help tame the heat and soak up all of the juices.

Recipe: Spicy Tomato Lentil Stew

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 5 small red potatoes, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 cup dry red wine, or broth
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 2 to 3 cups broth, to desired consistency
• 1 teaspoon harissa, more to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium.
2. Add the onions through and including the pepper. Cook and stir, 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 30 to 35 minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes are tender.
5. Season to taste with salt.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 45 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy free, Egg free, Gluten free, Nut free, Peanut free, Soy free, Wheat free, Sugar free, Low fat

Number of servings (yield): 8

  

  Recipe and photo by Tamasin Noyes, author of American Vegan Kitchen. Tami's cookbook covers everything from diner comfort foods to modern bistro fare, with a solid focus on flavor. She has two additional cookbooks in the pipeline, a vegan grilling book (Book Pub. Co.) and a vegan sandwich book (Fair Winds Press) with Celine Steen. For even more of her recipes, you can visit Tami at her blog Vegan Appetite.