Bring back summer. I’m not ready for fall. I actually had to get out the hat and scarf today (ugh). However, on the bright side, it’s soup and stew season. What’s your favorite soup or stew? Today, it’s lentils and smoky eggplant with homemade harissa.

On their own, lentils are kind of bland. They need a little love to enhance their flavor. The last time I had a bowl of lentils that I was ‘wowed’ by, I had added bone marrow to the pot. The marrow lent the lentils an incredible unctuous, richness. Today, I’ve gone a different route.

First off, good homemade or store-bought stock (not the boxed stuff) in which to cook the lentils is an essential component to layering flavor. I used a homemade chicken stock I had stored in the freezer for just such an occasion. You could easily swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock if you want to make it vegetarian. That being said, the chicken stock does give the lentils more body and makes for a tastier stew, in my humble opinion.

Next, I charred some eggplant over an open flame until completely tender and then added the mashed eggplant to the pot of lentils. When you cook eggplant in this manner, it picks up a nice, smoky flavor which adds another layer of flavor to the lentils — a meaty, umami flavor sans (without) the addition of meat.

Then, swirled in some homemade harissa paste, which adds a bit of heat and another layer of flavor.

Lastly, a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, which adds a tart-sweet element and serves as a nice counterbalance to the harissa’s heat.

A one pot dish that I plan to enjoy all week long. Because lentils act like a sponge of sorts, they soak up all the flavors and become more tasty with each subsequent day.

Happy Fall!

To char the eggplant…place the whole eggplant on an open-flame on the stove-top. With tongs, turn the eggplant every few minutes until the eggplant skins are completely charred and the flesh tender, about 20 minutes total. Then, scoop out the flesh, discard the charred skin, mash, and add to the pot of lentils.

Swirl in the harissa, top with creme fraiche or yogurt if you like, sprinkle with chopped parsley and enjoy…

Lentils and Smoky Eggplant with Harissa

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
14.5 ounce (fire-roasted) chopped canned tomatoes
8 cups chicken stock
3 cups French Puy lentils
2 medium eggplant (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
2 to 4 tablespoons harissa, plus more for serving (I added 4 tablespoons, but I like spicy); recipe below
1/3 cup chopped parsley, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper
Creme fraiche or Greek yogurt for serving (0ptional)
Drizzle pomegranate molasses

In a large part, heat the olive oil. When hot, add the onion, garlic, and bay leaves and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock and lentils. Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, about 45 minutes.

While the lentils are cooking, prepare the eggplant. Place the whole eggplant on an open-flame on the stove-top. With tongs, turn the eggplant every few minutes until the eggplant are completely charred and the flesh tender, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can broil the eggplant; set the eggplants on a  foil-lined baking sheet and rub with  olive oil. Broil, occasionally turning the baking sheet until the eggplant are completely blackened and tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a colander set over a bowl to drain. Discard the skins. Let the eggplant drain for 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and mash until smooth.

Stir the harissa and half the eggplant into the lentils until warmed through. Stir in the 1/3 cup of chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the stew into bowls. Top with the remaining eggplant. Garnish with creme friache or yogurt and parsley. Finish with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

Harissa

4 ounces dried chiles, such as guajillo, ancho, pasilla, chipotle); (used 3/4 guajillo, 1/4 ancho, and 1 to 2 chipotle chile for a little extra heat)
1 red bell pepper, roasted
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for topping
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt to taste
squeeze of lemon
pinch of cayenne (optional); depending on the heat of the dried chiles

De-stem the chiles. Cut the chiles lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins. Place the chiles in a bowl. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Pour the water over the chiles and let them steep for one hour. Weigh down the chiles with a small plate to make sure they are submerged. When the chiles are soft, about 30 minutes, drain well and discard the soaking liquid.

To roast the red bell pepper: Place the whole pepper over the gas range of your stove top, turning the pepper every few minutes until completely charred on all sides. Place the pepper in a paper bag for 5 to 10 minutes to help loosen the skins. The skins should slide right off. Slice open, remove the seeds, roughly chop.

Toast and grind the coriander/cumin/caraway seeds as follows: Toast the seeds in a dry skillet, over medium-low heat, swirling the pan until fragrant and slightly darkened, a minute or two. Grind in a spice-grinder or by hand with a mortar and pestle.

Place the rehydrated chiles and the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Blend until they form a smooth puree. Taste, adding more salt or lemon juice to taste. Depending on the combination of chiles used and Mother Nature, I sometimes add a pinch of cayenne for extra heat.

Place in a jar and cover with olive oil. Will keep for a couple of weeks.