Lentil Stew

I had a coffee with my friend’s mum from Crete at the start of our lent and she was making plain lentils in a tomato sauce. I straddled what she said with a classical French sauce of tomato, celery, onion and carrots and this simple but very tasty lentil stew evolved.

A simple lentil dish that can be enjoyed on its own served with a chunk of bread or an accompaniment. The classic marriage of carrots, onions and celery with the flavour of pepper and bay leaves makes a shortlist of ingredients taste wonderful.

The lentil stew recipe is one to make and enjoy on the day, 150g fed myself and my hubby for dinner and the next day I chopped and fried a couple of courgettes and aubergine and we made the leftover lentil stew with a curry sauce with my son. The lentils were very tasty cold, I tried a teaspoonful before making the curry.

Ideas:

A burrito filling with a teaspoon each of cumin, coriander, paprika and chilli

Use the Aubergine curry spices or use the recipe for my quick and easy dhal which involves opening a jar of curry sauce.

I told my son that when he goes off to uni, this would be a great economical dish, that he can enjoy for a few days in different ways.

Lentil Stew

 

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Preparation time

20 Minutes

Cooking time

1 Hour

Total time

1 Hour 20 Minutes

 

A simple lentil dish that can be enjoyed on its own served with a chunk of bread or an accompaniment to fish, chicken, sausages or lamb. The classic marriage of carrots, onions and celery with the flavour of pepper and bay leaves makes a shortlist of ingredients taste wonderful.

Marissa: www.marissa.co

Recipe type: Mains

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 red onions
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
• 150g dried Puy lentils (or no soak lentils)
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 100ml wine red or white (optional)
• 500ml tomato passata
• 100ml water plus a little more if needed while cooking
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Method

1. In a pot fry the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves and garlic on slow heat with a lid on for 8-10 minutes.
2. Stirring often and until the vegetables have softened but not taken colour.
3. Add the tomato paste and stir until it separates and releases its oil.
4. Pour in the wine if using and mix well.
5. Add the water and tomato passata then stir, then simmer for as long as the cooking instructions say on the packet of lentils you have chosen.
6. Usually 40 mins -1 hour.
7. I like the lentils a little softer, so I cooked them for a little longer than is stated on the packet.

Tips

Lentils
You can use any pulses in this recipe, pre-soak if stated on the packet, rinse and cook as you would for the lentils.

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