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January 06, 2008
Lentil and Farro Stew
This stew was a perfect for an evening of keeping cosy warm indoors while the rain poured down outside. Of course, since I hadn't been out to the grocery store in a few days, it was also a bit of a "let's scrounge through the fridge and the pantry and see what we can throw together" kind of recipe. (For example, I don't think it's really necessary to use two kinds of lentils, or both chicken and beef broth, but I was using up odds and ends that were on hand.)
The Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, cut into thin strips
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
- 1 cup farro, semipearled (pearled or semipearled barley would probably be a good substitute. You could also probably use wheatberries, but you'd have to simmer the stew longer.)
- 1.5 cups lentils (I used 1/2 cup of French green lentils and 1 cup of brown lentils.)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 tsp. celery seed (I used this because I bought some for an ill-fated recipe I tried last week, and now I'm not sure what to do with it. It seems to add a mild celery flavor, so throwing it into a broth made sense.)
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 1.5 tsp. oregano
- 1/2 tsp. Hungarian hot paprika (this is optional - I felt like the stew needed just a little kick. You could probably substitute red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne.)
- 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes w/juice
- 6 cups of broth or water (I used 1 cup of beef broth, 2 cups of chicken broth, and 3 cups water, because I had opened tetrapaks of broth in the fridge to use up.)
- 1 bay leaf
The steps
- In a large soup pot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Pour off any excess fat.
- Add the onion, peppers, and carrots, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables start to get soft. (About 5 to 7 minutes.)
- Add the farro, and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.
- Add the lentils, white wine, and herbs and spices. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up any browned bits.
- Add the tomatoes, broth or water, and the bay leaf. Stir. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until the lentils and farro are tender. (About 25 to 30 minutes.) Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve.
Posted by spaceling at January 6, 2008 10:09 AM
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