Vegetarian mains
Moroccan spinach, sweet potato and lentil stew
Based on a Moroccan harira soup; a delicately spiced vegetable dish filled with lentils and chickpeas, with a nut and herb garnish. The dish is lifted by a good squeeze of lemon juice, so don't be shy with it. The lentils are the ingredient that takes the longest to cook, so they need to get in the pan as soon as possible. The sweet potato and garlic can then be added as soon as they're chopped.
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small shallots
- 1 celery stalk
- oil for frying
- ½ tin chickpeas
- 50g red lentils
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- pinch of saffron
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon
- 20g toasted and chopped almonds
- 200g spinach
- ½ tbsp dried coriander leaves
Method
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Step 1
Peel and slice the shallot(s). Finely dice the celery stalk. Warm 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry the shallot and celery for 5 mins.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas and coarsely chop half of them (save the rest for use in other meals). Rinse the lentils.
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Step 3
Add the chickpeas, lentils, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground ginger, smoked paprika and saffron to the pan. Cook for 2 mins.
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Step 4
Add the tomatoes. Refill the tin with water and add that, too. Season and simmer for 20 mins, until the lentils are soft.
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Step 5
Meanwhile, peel the sweet potato(es) and cut into 1cm dice. Add to the stew. Peel and finely chop 1 garlic clove and add that, too.
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Step 6
Finely zest the lemon. Mix the zest with the almonds and a pinch of salt.
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Step 7
Trim away and discard any large stalks from the spinach. Roughly shred the leaves and wash well.
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Step 8
When the stew is just ready, stir in the dried coriander leaves and spinach until wilted. Taste, and adjust the seasoning.
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Step 9
Serve in deep bowls with the zest and nut mix sprinkled on top and wedges of lemon on the side.