Slow cooker harissa vegetable stew
If you’re worried about the levels of heat in this dish – and different brands of harissa can vary in heat – just add 2 tablespoons to start with. Then assess the spiciness at the end when you check the seasoning and add as little or much of the final tablespoon as preferred.
Ingredients
- 400g/14oz parsnips, trimmed, peeled, woody core removed and cut into short batons
- 2 onions, red, white or a mixture, cut into very thin wedges
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm/¾in slices
- 2 x 400g tins butterbeans (or other white beans)
- 3 tbsp harissa
- 1 tbsp dried oregano or mixed herbs
- 1 tbsp honey
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 400ml/14fl oz vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- about 100g/3½oz kale, thick stalks discarded and roughly chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- freshly cooked couscous, rice or jacket potatoes
- plain yoghurt
Method
Turn the slow cooker to the high setting to heat up. Add the parsnips, onions and carrots. Drain one of the tins of butterbeans and tip into the slow cooker with the other tin of beans and its liquid. Add the harissa, oregano, honey, chopped tomatoes, stock and tomato purée. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir. Cook for 3–4 hours on high or 5–6 hours on low, until all of the vegetables are really tender.
Stir in the kale, cover the slow cooker with the lid and leave to soften for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with couscous, rice or jacket potatoes and dollops of yoghurt.