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

What I am working on now....Spring Line Sneak Peek

I have really been in the groove lately working on my Body Armour Spring Line. It was actually really hard to stop working on new pieces I am designing to take some pics. of some of the completed designs but here are two of them at least. Hundreds of stainless steel rings have been opened and closed by hand to make the chainmaille and chains in these two pieces. All of the chains in both pieces are handmade. When I come up for air again I will price these and list them in both my Etsy and Art Fire Shop.

Euro 4-in-1 weave Harness/Necklace/Sash

Byzantine Lace Collar with Detachable Shoulder Harness

Soup of the week…Chou vert Frisé (Cabbage) with Artichoke, Giant White Bean and Sausage Soup

Even though I am just cooking for two, I love to make a big pot of soup every week. I purposefully make enough to last for one dinner and several lunches. This way I am not cooking every day but have something easy and delicious for us to eat and in the winter I could eat soup everyday . Planned laziness…gotta love it!
This recipe is adapted from “Tuscan Kale Soup with Artichoke and Chicken Sausage”  found on Taste With The Eyes blog that I  follow.  Artichokes are one of my very favorite vegetables so this immediately attracted me to this recipe. While familiarizing myself with the different foods available at our local Carrefour (French version of a Walmart Super Store) I found large bags of frozen artichoke hearts. Very exciting (for me at least)!  I have yet to be able to find kale so I am using Chou Vert Frisé  (curly leaf green cabbage) that is available here during the winter months.  I added some leftover giant white beans I cooked for another meal to this but I have also made it without them.

Ingredients:

1 small head of Chou Vert Frisé (curly leaf green cabbage) or kale
1 lb. ( 500kg) Toulouse sausage (mild sausage)
1 med. onion diced
1 tsp. fennel seed (crushed)
2 red chili peppers finely chopped or 1 tsp. chili flakes
6-8 frozen artichoke hearts (sliced)
1/2 of a lemon
3 quarts chicken stock

Method:

• Wash cabbage leaves and drain. Remove tough middle stem from leaves and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Do not worry if they seem too big the cabbage will cook down.  I used about one heaping colander full of torn cabbage leaves for my soup. 
• Remove sausage from casings and crumble into bite size pieces while browning in a large stock pot. When sausage is done remove and drain in a bowl lined with paper towels.
• While this is cooking crush fennel seed in a mortar and pestle.
• Remove excess grease from pot and in same pot Add onion, garlic, chili and crushed fennel and sauté until onion is translucent but not brown.
• If using frozen artichoke heart. Thaw before hand, then slice. Squeeze juice from 1/2 a lemon over the artichoke hearts, add zest if desired
• Return browned sausage to pot. Add artichoke hearts, chicken broth and cabbage leaves to pot.
• Continue cooking stirring occasionally 30 minutes or until  cabbage and artichoke hearts are tender. Adjust seasoning as necessary adding salt and pepper.

Serve with fresh bread and cheese or try a little grated parmesan cheese on top.
Yields: 6+ adult size servings