Lentil-Tomato Stew

From Spoke & Bird

A late-arriving soup of which this is appears to be the only photo. Whoops. Prepared by Soup & Bread newcomers from the South Loop’s Spoke & Bird, it’s in the square cambro there in the middle. It was hearty, and delicious — and vegan!

Ingredients
1 quart onions, brunoise, all scrap reserved
1 pint celery or celeriac, peeled and brunoise, peels and scraps reserved
1 pint carrots, peeled and brunois, peels and scraps reserved
2 quarts mixed root vegetables, brunoise, all scraps reserved
4 quarts water
6 sprigs thyme
6 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaf
1 tablespoon chinese cardamom, decorticated but not ground
2 tablespoons cumin, whole seeds
2 tablespoons coriander, whole seeds
2 tablespoons urfa biber chili flakes
1/4 cup black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup olive pomace oil
10# fresh tomatoes, rough chopped
2 quart green lentils
2 cups beer
1 cup soy sauce
4 ounces maple syrup
1 cup turmeric
3 lemons
3 oranges

Preparation
First, cut and trim all vegetables place all scrap and 4 quarts water in pot on high heat. Add half the thyme, rosemary, bay, cardamom, cumin, coriander, pepper, and urfa biber, and the entire cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain stock and reserve.

Combine olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, and a good pinch of salt in stockpot over high heat. While temp comes up, tie remaining rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf in a sachet and add to pot while stirring mirepoix and satchet frequently. Grind remaining whole spices and add to pot. At this point it may be necessary to reduce the heat to avoid sticking.

Continue cooking until the veg is reduced to a sofrito (almost completely melted into paste). If necessary, deglaze with some beer throughout this process to keep pot from scorching. Add tomatoes, increase heat, and bring to a boil.

Add lentils, remaining beer and stock, soy sauce, maple syrup, and turmeric. Stir well to combine, bring to a simmer, and cook until lentils are fully tender. Once lentils are done, kill the heat and stir in the 2 quarts of brunoise root vegetables.

Allow stew to rest for 5 minutes while juicing oranges and lemons. Strain citrus juice into rested stew, stir well, taste and adjust seasoning.