All right, the holidays are over. It’s January, it’s been snowing for days, and it’s going to be this way for a while. There’s no going back; it’s only forward. Here’s a recipe that may help.

This is the kind of recipe that you start in the morning to cook all day and make the house smell amazing. It will work with any dark red beans, but I want you to know that I am absolutely crazy about the heirloom beans from Rancho Gordo in Napa. I like to add one-quarter cup of green lentils and 2 tablespoons (or 1/8 cup) of garbanzo beans for the added flavor and texture they give this recipe. Even this seemingly minute amount of garbanzos is guaranteed to put a few into every bowl. If the ingredient list feels a little daunting, once you gather and measure out all your ingredients I think it will feel a lot more manageable. You should feel free to mix together all the spices, and combine all the legumes (beans + lentils) before you get started. 

I can imagine eating a bowl of this soup with a thick slice of crusty bread, but you can also consider it an entire meal all on its own.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
6 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
3 celery stalks, rinsed well and chopped very thinly
2 jalapeños, deseeded and sliced thinly on cross-section
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and quartered
1/2 cup dried Moro beans
1/8 cup dried garbanzo beans
1/4 cup dried green lentils
3 unpeeled medium potatoes, washed well and diced small
28-oz. can (large) of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. hot paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed and chopped

Directions
Heat the olive oil to medium-high in a heavy frying pan, and add the carrots, celery, carrots, and onions. Stir well for 1-2 minutes, reduce the heat to low, and cook 10-15 minutes until the carrots, celery and onions begin to soften and look somewhat glassy. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Pour the mixture into a 4-quart crockpot. 

Prepare the jalapeños and mushrooms and add to the crockpot. Add the crushed tomatoes, potatoes, and spices.

Add the Moro beans, garbanzos and lentils. Fill the crockpot with 8 cups of water to fill the crockpot approx 2/3 full. Set on high and cook for 1-2 hours. Reduce heat to low, and leave to cook an additional 6-8 hours. Check water level after 4 hours to make sure it remains above all the ingredients. Sprinkle each bowl with cilantro or parsley just before serving. Bon appetit!

Serves 6 with plenty of leftovers.