Stewing Lentils

Over the summer, I visited Hawthorne Valley Farm and, after watching the cow parade, I purchased these beautiful French lentils from their extensive market. The lentils are beautiful and delicious and called for in many a lentil recipe, but can be hard to find. On Monday night, I made Ina Garten's Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes (recipe below), served it over rice, and topped it with feta. On the side - roasted cauliflower over wilted tat soi. Whoa.


multi-colored carrots from the farmer's market


red onions in olive oil


lentils have been stewed


rice is ready, i love those crispy edges


tatsoi wilts under just-roasted cauliflower


dinner is served...

Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes
adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

2 teaspoons good olive oil
2 cups large-diced yellow and/or red onions (2 onions)
2 cups large-diced carrots (3-4 carrots)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
1 cup French green lentils (7 ounces)
2 cups chicken stock and/or water
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a large saucepab. Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.

Meanwhile, place the canned plum tomatoes, including the juice, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse several times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. (You can also leave the tomatoes in the can, and with a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the tomatoes into coarse chunks.) Pour lentils into a sheet pan and pick over to make sure there are no stones, then rinse.

Add tomatoes, lentils, broth/water, cumin, coriander, chili powder, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pan. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Check occasionally to be sure the liquid is still simmering. Remove from the heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, season to taste, and serve hot.