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Luscious Lentils
Served with tender sweet carrots
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Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes Total time: 50 minutes |
- 1-3/4 lbs. carrots
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 shallots
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- 3 scallions
- 1 small piece fresh ginger
- 1 lb. French lentils (preferably Le Puy)
- Mild honey (lavender, wild flower)
Shopping List
- Bay leaves
- Black pepper
- Ground nutmeg
- Sea salt
- Sherry vinegar
- Star anise
- Unsalted butter
- Walnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
Pantry Items
- Chef’s knife
- Kitchen twine
- Large saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Paring knife
- Slotted spoon
- Small saucepan
- Spatula
- Strainer
- Vegetable Peeler
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons
Tools
- Wine: Beaujolais
- Dessert: Chocolate Mousse
- You’ll probably have leftover lentils, lucky you, because they are delicious the next day.
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine and keep it in a cool place, but not the refrigerator
- Prep
- Pick through the lentils and remove any small stones.
- Rinse the lentils and put them in the large saucepan.
- Peel the ginger and slice it into 3 coins.
- Rinse and pat dry the parsley. Pluck ½ cup leaves.
- Trim the scallions and remove any damaged green leaves. Thinly slice the white part of 2 scallions.
- Tie together the third scallion with 1 bay leaf, 10 sprigs fresh thyme and 10 parsley stems.
- Peel and trim the carrots. Cut them into thin rounds.
- Peel and cut the onion in quarters.
- Peel and very thinly slice the shallots. Use a mandolin
if you have one.
- Start Cooking
- Add the 3 ginger coins, 3 star anise, the herb bundle, 1 of the carrots ( 12 round slices) and the onion to the pot with the lentils. Cover with 3-inches of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so it’s simmering merrily, partially cover and cook until the lentils are tender/crisp, 25-35 minutes.
- Put the remaining carrots in the medium saucepan with 1 tsp. salt, 1-1/2 tsps. honey and 2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-heat. Reduce the heat under the carrots so the water is boiling gently and cook until the carrots are nearly soft, 15 minutes.
- Place the shallots in the small saucepan with 3 tbsps. sherry vinegar. Put the pan over medium-high heat.
- When the vinegar begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent and the vinegar has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
- Check the lentils. If they’re crisp tender, remove them from the heat. If they aren’t, continue to cook them.
- Make the vinaigrette for the lentils. Put 2 tbsps. sherry vinegar in a large bowl. Whisk in a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk in 6 tbsps. walnut or extra-virgin olive oil, the sliced scallions and the shallots.
- Mince the parsley and add it to the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning.
- As soon as the lentils are cooked, remove them from the heat. Remove and discard the ginger and the star anise, then using a slotted spoon transfer the lentils to the vinaigrette and stir gently. Taste for seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- If the carrots are nearly tender, remove the lid and adjust the heat so the water is boiling vigorously. Continue cooking the carrots, shaking the pan from time to time, until there is about 2 tbsps. water left in the pan. This should take about 10 minutes.
- You’ve got time to set the table and pour yourself a glass of wine.
- Check the carrots. If the water has mostly evaporated, stir in 1-1/2 tbsps. butter. Sprinkle them with 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, stir and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- It looks like everything is ready. Time for dinner!
