Moroccan Stew - YUM!

A delicious-looking Moroccan treat with pitiful-looking naan bread...(sigh)

One of my two wonderful, lovely daughters died four years ago, and, other than simply putting edible food on a table I just stopped cooking. The last few months have seen a renewal in my cooking desires. Maybe it's because it's an honor to cook in Remy's memory, maybe because it's simply that I've managed to move on from complete devastation to lingering, but manageable devastation. I'll always cook in honor of my daughter (and my mom, Mary - one of the best amateur chefs that ever lived), and I now want to do that once again! I'll never be the cooks they both were, but I'll damn well try!

I found this recipe online (of course!) at ambitiouskitchen.com. Though I followed it somewhat, I deviated because I didn't have some ingredients and changed a few others. Pretty sure most folks do this, so, even though it's someone else's recipe, it's changed. Oh dear.


Use vegetable stock and this is a vegetarian/vegan delight.

oil, grape seed or olive, for sauteing

1 medium onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 carrots, slice length-wise and chopped

2 or so t. cumin

2 or so t. cinnamon

1 or so t. tumeric

1/4 or so t. cayenne

1 13 oz. box crushed tomatoes

3/4 can tomato paste

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

4 C. or so chicken bone broth (or chicken stock)

1 box pre-chunked butternut squash

1 C. lentils (I used Umbrian lentils - it's what I had)

1 15 oz. can (Sclafani - my favorite brand) chick peas/garbanzo beans

salt to taste

black ground pepper to taste

fresh juice of 1/2 large lemon (important)

chopped parsley for garnish

stewing in the pot...

Heat oil in a soup pot and add onions, garlic and carrots. Cook until all is looking slightly done. Stir in spices and saute until spices are releasing their flavors/fragrance. Add everything through the salt and simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes until the squash and lentils are done. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Taste and correct seasonings,

Serve with warm Moroccan flat bread, naan or pita bread. A dollop of plain Greek yogurt would be good.

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again!

xoabb