Lentils with Crispy Leeks and Fennel

I realized it was Mother’s Day right before arriving at Zarafat Abu Dala’s home in Yarka, a Druze village in the Lower Galilee (150,000 of the world’s one million Druze, who are Arab but not Muslim, live in Israel, mostly in the Galilee). After handing over a bouquet of flowers I’d procured minutes before, I was rewarded with a plate of moist carrot cake, fresh mint tea, and a chat with Zarafat’s daughter, Malak, who was our translator. Though Zarafat’s husband, a television broadcaster, died four years ago, as Druze believe his soul inhabited a living person’s body somewhere in the world. After he died, Zarafat began hosting meals at her house. We headed to the outdoor kitchen, stocked with homemade pickles, olives, and grape leaves stuffed into plastic jars and Coke bottles. We cooked a lot that day, but her fragrant lentils, loaded with soft onions, Baharat, and loads of fennel fronds, was my favorite. Since those fronds rarely make it to the market in Israel—much less in the United States—I swapped in a head of fennel to evoke that flavor. The crispy leek topping steers this dish in the direction of Lebanese mujadara.

Serves 4 to 6

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

1 cup green lentils, picked over

3 medium-large or 6 small leeks (1½ pounds), tender green and white parts only, thinly sliced into rounds

1 large head of fennel, with as many fronds attached as possible

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon Baharat

½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the lentils in a medium bowl, cover with cold water, soak for 15 minutes, and drain.

Place the leeks in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 15 minutes to release any sand. Lift the leeks out into a strainer, drain well, and pat dry.

Trim and discard the stalks from the fennel, but remove and reserve the fronds. Halve the fennel through its core, then use the tip of the knife to cut out and discard the white inner core; thinly slice the fennel.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the leeks and cook, stirring, until deep brown and crisped, 10 to 11 minutes. Drain on a paper towel–lined plate; season with salt to taste.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the other half of the leeks and cook, stirring, until tender, 4 minutes. Add the fennel, baharat, and cumin, and cook until the fennel starts to soften, 5 minutes. Add the drained lentils, broth, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer until the lentils are tender and have absorbed the liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Chop the fennel fronds, add most of them to the leeks, and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the crispy leeks and a few fennel fronds.