Lentils with Wine-Glazed Winter Vegetables…what is for dinner tonight…

I found this recipe on the Cooking Light website and decided to try this instead of making lentil soup with the dried lentils I have purchased for this week's menu. I substituted turnips for the parsnips in this recipe because I like the flavor better and also parsnips are not a local produce for France and therefore more expensive per kg. The result was fab. and I will definitely add this to my winter lineup. Tonight I am serving this with roasted pork studded with garlic and rubbed with Herbs de Provence but I think it could also stand alone and be served as a vegetarian meal over bulgur.



My winter vegetables  are cooked separately, glazed with tomato paste and red wine, and then added to the lentils. Any lentils will work, but I like black or French green lentils for this recipe; they make for the most dramatic presentation and have a great flavor.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• 3 cups water 1 1/2 cups dried lentils
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided 
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 2 cups chopped onion 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped peeled celeriac (celery root)
• 1 cup (about 4 small) diced turnip
• 1 cup (about 4 med. to large) diced carrot 
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, divided
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 2/3 cup dry red wine
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Preparation

• Combine water, lentils, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes. Remove lentils from heat, and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celeriac, turnip, carrot, and 1 1/2 teaspoons tarragon, and sauté 10 minutes or until browned.

• Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, tomato paste, and garlic; cook mixture 1 minute.
• Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

• Stir in mustard.
• Add lentil mixture, and cook 2 minutes.

• Remove from heat; discard bay leaf, and stir in butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons tarragon, and pepper.

Cooking Light
MARCH 2000