Mexican Lentil And Herb Stew
By: Jennifer
Published: Friday, March 29, 2013 - 7:45am

Ingredients




1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper
1 medium onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine (I used MacMurray chardonnay) 1/2 to deglaze and 1/2 added at the end
2 pints fresh or frozen crowder peas or other lentil (but not canned)
1 14.5 ounce can chicken stock
1 14.5 ounce can Mexican style tomatoes
2 cans Progresso tomato basil soup
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano (I used a mixture of Italian and Cuban)
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preparation

1 Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other soup pan over medium heat. 2 Add dried herbs and stir around. It only takes about 30 to 60 seconds. 3 Keep stirring so they don't burn. I add dried herbs at the beginning of recipes to release their oils and make them more aromatic. 4 Season vegetables with salt and pepper and saute until slightly tender. They will continue to cook when the other ingredients are added. 5 Deglaze pan with 1/2 of wine. Cook down for about 3 or 4 minutes. 6 Rinse and drain peas. 7 Pour chicken stock and peas into pan. 8 Cook about 10 minutes. 9 Add tomatoes, soup, tomato paste, and more salt and pepper to taste. 10 Pour in the rest of the wine and cook uncovered until peas are tender, about 45 minutes to one hour.

About

Until about 10 years ago I picked the kidney beans out of my chili, ate my New Year's bowl of Hoppin John with rice, hold the black eyed peas, didn't know black beans existed, and garbanzo beans were unidentified objects on the salad bar that I avoided.
Now, I look for creative ways to mix, match, and mingle lentils into my recipes. Nothing warms you up on a frigid winter night like a big satisfying bowl of stew. This is a one pot hearty healthy dinner with plenty for leftovers. I used crowder peas because that's what I had in the freezer, frozen fresh from the summer. You can use another bean, such as great northern or black beans. I've used those two together, which is delicious.