North African Bean Stew With Barley and Winter Squash

Name: North African Bean Stew With Barley and Winter Squash
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Cuisine: african
Ingredients: 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving; 2 leeks, white and green parts, diced; 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems separated; 1 cup finely diced fennel, fronds reserved (1/2 large fennel bulb); 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 1/2 tablespoons baharat (see note); 1/2 cinnamon stick; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth; 1/2 cup pearled barley; 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed; Large pinch saffron, crumbled (optional); 4 cups cooked beans or chickpeas; 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (1 small squash); 3/4 cup peeled and diced turnip (1 medium); 1/2 cup red lentils; Plain yogurt, for serving; Aleppo pepper or hot paprika, for serving

Recipe from Kos Kaffe

Adapted by Melissa Clark

North African Bean Stew With Barley and Winter Squash — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Rating: 5(1,504)
Comments: Read comments

This warming, highly spiced stew is rich in beans, grains and chunks of sweet winter squash. Feel free to substitute other grains for the barley. Farro works particularly well. If you’d prefer something soupier, thin it with a little broth or water before serving. —Melissa Clark

Featured in: Cooking Beans at Home, Leaving the Can Behind

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving
2leeks, white and green parts, diced
1bunch cilantro, leaves and stems separated
1cup finely diced fennel, fronds reserved (½ large fennel bulb)
3garlic cloves, finely chopped
2½tablespoons baharat (see note)
½cinnamon stick
2tablespoons tomato paste
2quarts chicken or vegetable broth
½cup pearled barley
2½teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
Large pinch saffron, crumbled (optional)
4cups cooked beans or chickpeas
2cups peeled and diced butternut squash (1 small squash)
¾cup peeled and diced turnip (1 medium)
½cup red lentils
Plain yogurt, for serving
Aleppo pepper or hot paprika, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and cook leeks until they begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 2
Finely chop cilantro stems. Stir into pot, along with diced fennel and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in baharat, cinnamon and tomato paste, and cook until paste begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in broth, 3 cups water, the barley and the salt. Bring to a gentle boil, stir in saffron, if using, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Stir in beans, squash, turnip and lentils; cook until barley is tender, about another 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Remove cinnamon stick.
Step 4
Ladle stew into bowls. Spoon a dollop of yogurt on top and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with cilantro leaves, fennel fronds and Aleppo pepper or paprika.

Tip

Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice mix. You can buy it at specialty markets or make your own. To make it, combine 2 tablespoons sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon ground turmeric, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom and 1 teaspoon allspice.

Ratings

5 out of 5

1,504 user ratings

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Comments

Ruth Gyure7 years ago

This is one of the most delicious new recipes I have tried in a long time. I followed it pretty much exactly (cooked garbanzos from scratch and mixed the spices myself). The flavors and textures are outstanding. As long time vegetarians this was a wonderful find, since many things are either too bland or rely on cheese. Ms. Clark, I am a big fan of your healthy recipes but you've outdone yourself on this one. I am not a huge stew fan but this is almost soup which I love.

AB2 years ago

If you don't have Baharat or a cinnamon stick, and want to make enough spice mix for just this recipe, use: 1 tbsp sweet paprika 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 1/2 ground cumin 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg 1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1/2 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Evren7 years ago

Do we really need 2 quarts of broth and 3 cups of water--i.e., 11 cups of liquid? I wondered if there was a mistake there or if this stew really needs that much liquid?

Felice G.1 month ago

We first tried this stew at a friend’s house, and it was incredibly tasty and had a nice sweetness. She used the baharat blend from the recipe in this article. I made the same stew at home but used store-bought baharat, and the flavor wasn’t quite the same—it lacked depth. I'm wondering if the difference in taste is due to the baharat. If I make the homemade baharat from the recipe and use it in the stew I just made, will it significantly improve the flavor? Thoughts?

Patti Veconi2 months ago

A new favorite, I've now made this several times using whatever winter squash I have on hand and substituting farro for the bulgur because that's what I keep in my pantry. Made it with saffron only once because, again, I had it around but never missed it when I didn't. Perfect as is, but also very adaptable: rutabaga, parsnips, carrots, clean that fridge out!

Marge2 months ago

Easy to sub what you have - I subbed parsley for cilantro, carrots for turnips, onions for leeks, an ottoman spice mix I bought on vacation in Istanbul for the baharat. Excellent recipe.

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