Blue Dog’s Blog

Happy November! This delicious stew is perfect for this time of year. It has a distinctive Moroccan flavor but using some ingredients that you may not find in that area. It’s best slow cooked in a tagine (also spelled tajine), slow cooker or solar oven but it can also be prepared in a pressure cooker. If using a pressure cooker or solar oven, you’ll need to decrease the amount of liquid.

Moroccan-style Lentil & Yam Stew

Ingredients

• 2 lbs garnet yams, peeled and cut into 1-2 in chunks
• 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/2 inch crosswise slices
• 1 cup French lentils*
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 cup honey or 2T agave syrup
• 1 tbl vegan non-hydrogenated margarine
• 1 tbl olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
• finely ground salt & pepper to taste

If using a solar oven, you’ll need to soak the French lentils overnight.

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Brush the onion slices with olive oil on both sides. Place them on a baking sheet and broil, turning them until they are lightly browned on each side. Reserve.
3. Place the lentils, garnet yams, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, honey (or agave syrup), vegan non-hydrogenated margarine, and water in a slow cooker.
4. Place the reserved onions on top.
5. Cook until done:

• A couple of hours in a slow cooker on low
• 45-70 minutes in a tagine at 350º
• 2-3 hours in a solar oven
• 10 minutes at high pressure in a pressure cooker, allow it to come down naturally

6. Add salt & pepper to tast.

Serve alone or over couscous. Enjoy!