Published Feb. 23, 2024
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Ingredients
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
- 2leeks, white and light green parts, sliced into half-moons, or 1 cup sliced onion
- 3carrots, diced
- 1cup chopped fennel, fronds reserved
- 1bunch cilantro, leaves and stems mostly separated and chopped (don’t worry too much about leaves and stems mingling)
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 1½teaspoons fine sea or table salt, more to taste
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1tablespoon or
- ½teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1cinnamon stick
- 2quarts vegetable or chicken broth
- 1cup pearled barley
- 1cup red lentils
- 1 to 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
Preparation
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In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
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Stir in carrots, fennel, cilantro stems, garlic and salt. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, baharat, turmeric and cinnamon stick, and cook until the tomato paste begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes.
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Add the broth, barley and red lentils, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the barley and lentils are tender. (Add some water if the pot starts to look dry; this can be as thick or soupy as you like.)
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Stir in a tablespoon of lemon juice and the chopped cilantro leaves. Taste stew and add salt and lemon juice if needed (you might need a lot more salt if you started with unsalted broth). Serve in bowls drizzled with olive oil and garnished with chopped fennel fronds.