lunchpail

Beluga stew

Based on Rainbow Plant Life

Ingredients

Lentils

• 1 cup black lentils
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 2 teaspoons rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Mushroom stew

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (caps only), sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1.5 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup coconut milk // try 1 whole can
• 2 cups chicken broth (on reserve)
• 1 bunch dandelion greens or arugula, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Sift through the lentils to remove any debris or pebbles. Then place them in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear.
2. Add all the lentil ingredients to a saucepan. Bring the water a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer the lentils for 25–30 minutes or until tender.
3. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over low-medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and stir frequently until translucent, about 7-10 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Stir occasionally until garlic is fragrand and mushrooms are no longer raw, about 3 minutes.
5. Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan for 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits as needed.
6. Add the miso paste, tahini, and soy sauce. Stir into the mushrooms to coat them.
7. Remove bay leaf from lentil saucepan. Pour remaining lentils and liquid into Dutch oven. Add the coconut milk. If mixture is too dry, add more broth as needed.
8. (Skip) Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to partially blend the stew.
9. Add in the sliced greens. Bring the stew to a boil until it is creamy and the greens are cooked. Remove from heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar.