Mexican Lentil And Herb Stew Recipes

MEXICAN LENTIL AND HERB STEW

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other soup pan over medium heat.
• Add dried herbs and stir around. It only takes about 30 to 60 seconds. Keep stirring so they don't burn. I add dried herbs at the beginning of recipes to release their oils and make them more aromatic.
• Season vegetables with salt and pepper and saute until slightly tender. They will continue to cook when the other ingredients are added.
• Deglaze pan with 1/2 of wine. Cook down for about 3 or 4 minutes.
• Rinse and drain peas.
• Pour chicken stock and peas into pan. Cook about 10 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, soup, tomato paste, and more salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour in the rest of the wine and cook uncovered until peas are tender, about 45 minutes to one hour.

MEXICAN LENTIL STEW WITH ROASTED GARLIC AND CHILIES

Steps:

• Put the lentils, water, bay leaf, sage, and oregano or marjoram in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Remove the bay leaf.
• While the lentils are cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the head of garlic in foil or place it on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. After it has cooled, squeeze the garlic out of the skin and into a food processor or blender. Puree with the tomatoes and juice. Set aside.
• Put the 1/4 cup water in a skillet or large saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Add the onion, cumin, and oregano and cook until soft. Add the carrot and red pepper and cook until tender. Add the chile puree, the potatoes, and the tomato-garlic mixture and cook for 10 minutes at medium-low heat.
• Combine the lentils and liquid with the vegetables. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes, covered. Test for salt and chili flavor. If not hot enough, add some chile powder. Just before serving, sprinkle the cilantro on top, if desired.
• * To toast herbs and spices: use a small, heavy skillet. Place the herb or spice in the skillet over low heat. Shake the skillet until the aroma of the herb or spice is released. Be careful not to burn them. Then grind the spice if necessary.
• ** Look for chipotle chilies canned in adobo sauce. Puree the whole can and store in a jar in the refrigerator. They keep quite a while and are perfect for jazzing up all manner of foods. Use sparingly, though -- it's hot!

MEXICAN LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• In a medium pot, bring the 2 cups of lentils and 4 cups of water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let sit with a lid on for about 20 minutes.
• While the lentils are cooking, begin the stew. Finely dice the onions and cook over medium heat in 2 Tbsp of olive oil. While the onions begin to cook, finely dice the garlic and add to the pot. While the onions and garlic cook, finely chop the celery and then add to the pot.
• Cook the onions, garlic and celery until they are soft but not brown. Add the cans of diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, turmeric, cumin, chili powder and the hot sauce. Continue to cook over medium heat until hot.
• At this point, the lentils should have absorbed the water and become soft. Add the lentils and any remaining water to the soup mixture. Stir well and slightly mash using the back of your spoon.
• Once the entire mixture is hot, add a handful of chopped cilantro and taste test to see if you want any more heat (hot sauce) or salt and pepper.
• You can either add the juice of lime to the pot or serve the bowls of stew with a wedge of lime. I like the wedge of lime because it makes for a pretty presentation and that way people can choose whether or not they want it.