In cooking class, we are always trying to walk that fine line between making something with a good shot of being eaten by the mini-chefs, especially the two year olds who have often sworn off most foods, and being adventuresome. Harira, a Morrocan tomato and chickpea dish, straddles both worlds.  On the one hand there are familiar favorites, like the tomatoes and the chickpeas. On the other hand we’re embracing the fact that onions and garlic, things that might be the tiniest bit stinky when raw, end up being delicious when we work the magic of cooking on them.

We do an extra step of roasting the tomatoes with a bit of brown sugar before chopping them and putting them in with the rest, and I, no nonsense chef that I am, will swear to you that roasting your tomatoes in this way adds depth of flavor to the soup. It’s also a really fun part for the mini-chefs.  However, if that step is a little too TOO for you, skip it, chop up your tomatoes and get on with the soup.

Here we made a vegan, gluten-free version of Harira. It is simple and hearty and lovely. You can add many things to it: cooked chicken or lamb, greens, rice, and even raisins can be part of this traditional dish. As always, feel free to consult your mini-chef and play with ingredients to make this dish your own.

Harira

• 28 oz. whole tomatoes with their juice reserved
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 2 T. olive oil, plus a little more for oiling the baking sheet
• 3 medium cloves garlic, peeled and woody ends cut off
• 1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
• 2 stalks of celery, leaves included, cut into large chunks
• 1 T. flour (gluten-free fine here)
• 1 heaping T. tomato paste
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. ginger
• 1 t. paprika (sweet, smoked, or spicy, as you like)
• pinch of cloves
• 4 c. stock (vegetable or chicken work well)
• 4 c. cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 c. parsley
• optional: 1/4 c. cilantro, lemon wedges, 1/4 c. white wine vinegar

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, pour a bit of oil onto the foil, and have your mini-chef finger paint the entire surface of the foil. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl, pour in your tomatoes, and, using your hands, try and get as many of the seeds off of each tomato before placing it on the baking sheet. When all tomatoes have been placed in one layer on the sheet, sprinkle them with the brown sugar and place them in the oven to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the juices of the tomato have dried out completely. Let them cool and, once cooled, chop them up.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, glug in 2 T. of olive oil. Turn the heat on low to warm the oil.
3. With the motor off, add the celery, garlic, and onions to your food processor fitted with the shredder attachment. When you have replaced the top and all fingers are out of the way, turn the machine on and let it shred the vegetables. Add the shredded vegetables  and the spices (cinnamon, paprika,clove, and ginger)to the pot and cook, stirring, for a few minutes, till the vegetables are very soft. Turn up the heat to medium, add the flour and stir constantly for a minute. Add the tomato paste and stir another 3o seconds. Pour in the stock, chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, and the reserved tomato juice and bring the soup to a boil. Have your mini-chef tear the parsley with their hands, and add that to the pot.  Turn the heat back down to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. At the very end, stir in the white wine vinegar or serve with lemon wedges and a side of cilantro for anyone who wants it to tear into their bowl. Enjoy!