Umami Mushroom and Lentil Stew
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
- large yellow onion 1
- Kosher
- low-sodium vegetable broth 2 cup
- lite coconut milk or creamy barista plant milk ½ cup
- good-quality tahini 3 tbsp
- white miso 1 ½ tbsp
- soy sauce or tamari 1 tbsp
- mixed mushrooms 20 oz
- garlic cloves 6
- fresh thyme leaves 1 tbsp
- red pepper flakes ½ tsp
- dry white wine ¼ cup
- Herby Lentils 2 ½ cup
- lacinato kale 1 bunch
- aged balsamic vinegar 1-2 tsp
- For serving: Crusty bread or pita to serve 4
If using carrots instead of mushrooms, follow these instructions: During Vegetable Prep or on the day of cooking the stew, finely dice 16 oz of carrots. Shortcut option: Roughly chop the carrots, then add to a food processor and pulse repeatedly until finely chopped. Store carrots in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When it’s time to cook the stew, add the carrots with the onion in step 1; season with 1 tsp of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring only occasionally, until veggies have softened, about 10 minutes. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as written. Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove (or in the microwave) until heated through; add a splash of broth or water if it’s too thick. Nutrition boost: For a protein boost, shred some super-firm tofu using a box grater, then pan-fry it in olive oil, seasoning with salt (basic instructions here); use as a topper for the stew. Or, top the stew with roasted pepitas. Shortcut: Use pre-sliced mushrooms and baby kale. Shortcut: Skip partially blending the stew; once the stew is simmering, add the kale and simmer until it’s tender.
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1Gather: extra virgin olive oil , large yellow onion , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, low-sodium vegetable broth , lite coconut milk or creamy barista plant milk , good-quality tahini , white miso , soy sauce or tamari , mixed mushrooms , garlic cloves , fresh thyme leaves , red pepper flakes , dry white wine , Herby Lentils , lacinato kale , aged balsamic vinegar , For serving: Crusty bread or pita to serve .
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2Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat with the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and season with a pinch of salt. Cook until just starting to turn golden, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, measure out the vegetable broth in a large jar and add the milk to it. (If using canned lite coconut milk, first stir it well so the cream and water evenly incorporate.) In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, miso, and soy sauce. Set aside.
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3Add the mushrooms to the onions and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Stir, then add the garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes , until very fragrant.
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4Pour in the white wine if using, and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until the smell of alcohol wears off, about 3 minutes. If not using wine, deglaze with a splash of the broth.
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5Add the tahini-miso-soy sauce mixture and stir into the mushrooms to coat, stirring well to break up the miso. Add the broth-milk mixture and the Herby Lentils, and stir well. Bring the stew to a rapid simmer, then turn off the heat.
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6Blend roughly half of the stew using a stand blender or immersion blender. Stand blender option: Carefully ladle roughly half of the stew to a stand blender. Remove the center cap and cover with a towel to allow steam to vent. Blend until pureed and mostly smooth. Return the puree into the pot with the rest of the stew, and stir well. One-pot option: Use an immersion blender throughout half of the soup, but be sure not to blend it all—you want to retain some texture.
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7Add in the sliced kale. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook until thick and the kale has wilted and is chewy yet tender, stirring occasionally. If the stew is very thick, add a splash of water to allow the kale to cook. Off the heat, stir in 1 tsp balsamic vinegar. Taste, adding more vinegar and salt to taste.
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8Serve with crusty bread or pita on the side.