Lentil-Rice Pilaf and Vegetable Stew

Good morning (and good rainy morning, if you're in the Twin Cities).

If you're feeling chilly and want some cozy comfort food, this will do the trick. Both recipes are easy to prepare and delicious (and can be made simultaneously). I (Emily) am not feeling very wordy at the moment (rain makes me sleepy), so I think I'll just start typing up the recipes now. As usual, feel free to change up the veggies and proportions. Enjoy, all!


Lentil-Rice Pilaf
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed
  
• 2 TBS oil (olive or canola) or butter
  
• 1-2 minced cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds (or you can sub some ground cumin, but the seeds are great)
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups veggie broth (or water, if you don't have any)
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

• Heat the butter or oil in a medium pot over low heat
• Add the cumin seeds, turning the heat up briefly, and sizzle until they blacken (about a minute).
  
• Turn back down to low and add the garlic, cooking for a minute more
• Add the lentils and rice and stir until coated
• Still in the broth and the salt and pepper, bring to a boil, cover, and cook as you would rice until all the water is absorbed. (I forgot to take a picture. Sorry!)
  

Vegetable Stew
Ingredients

• oil for the pan
  
• one medium onion, diced (I used half a red and half a white because that's what we had, but use whatever you like)
  
• one large carrot, chopped
• one 15 oz. can chickpeas (or the equivalent amount of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight)
• half of a large eggplant, or a whole small eggplant, sliced into rounds and then chopped
• a handful or two of frozen peas
• one handful parsley, chopped
  
• 1 cup veggie broth
• 1 TBS tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, sliced thinly or minced
  
• a pinch of hyssop (can be omitted if you don't have any)
• dash cinnamon
• dash lemon juice
• 1 TBS butter, to thicken
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped almonds, to garnish

Procedure

• Prep the eggplant: Stewing the eggplant along with everything else would likely work, but I find baked eggplant to be less chancy. So chop as directed (or however you like, really) and place on an oiled baking tray. Turn the eggplant pieces to coat in the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for a minute or two a side, until nicely browned. Watch them very carefully or you will have a load of pitch-black charred eggplant on your hands.
• Oil a medium-large skillet and heat.
  
• Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes until softened before adding the carrot and turning up to medium.
  
• When the carrots are getting soft, add the parsley and chickpeas, along with the garlic. Stir for a moment, then add the broth. Allow to simmer for a few minutes, adding the tomato paste and other spices.
  
• After a few minutes, stir in the peas. As the stew bubbles and the broth is absorbed, gradually stir in little pieces of butter to thicken. When the stew is bubbly and gooey but not exactly soupy, it's done!
  

Scoop some pilaf into a plate or bowl and top with stew. Garnish with almonds and serve warm. Mmm-mmm.