Vegetarian supper tonight. Every year around this time I like making harissa vegetable stew. Harissa is the delicious spicy red paste from North Africa. This is not an exact recipe and quantities and ingredients can be varied. Sometimes I add chickpeas, sometimes a handful of chopped coriander leaves. 1 teaspoon harissa paste is fairly mild. Lemon juice is another nice addition.

Harissa vegetable stew

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

8 small potatoes peeled and diced

2 small courgettes cut into small chunks

1tsp harissa paste

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tin tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree

handful of green beans cut into short lengths

handful of cooked haricot and kidney beans

feta cheese, cut into dice, or grated parmesan

First soften the onion and garlic in a little olive oil. Put in the harissa paste and spices and stir briefly. Add all the other vegetables except for the green beans. Add the tin of tomatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer 15 minutes. Add the green beans and the haricot and kidney beans. cook for another 15 minutes. For serving, use soup bowls and scatter the feta on top.