French Lentil Stew

Serves 6 • Cooking Time 7 to 9 hours on Low or 4 to 6 hours on High • Slow Cooker Size 4 to 7 Quarts

Slug Icon WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: For a warming lentil stew with a deep flavor profile and hearty texture, we turned to French green lentils. Also known as lentilles du Puy, these legumes retain some of their texture during cooking without getting too soft, and since they are high in fiber, they make for a healthy and filling stew. Caramelizing the onions required getting out a skillet, but our patience was rewarded with a richly flavored foundation. For a truly satisfying stew, we added brown rice to the mix, which added depth of flavor and broke down slightly as it cooked, helping to thicken the stew. Searching for a hearty green to offer a colorful contrast to the dark lentils, we settled on shredded Brussels sprouts, which we added at the end of the Cooking Time. A little sherry vinegar stirred in just before serving helped to brighten the stew. While we prefer French green lentils for this recipe, any type of lentil will work except red or yellow. Short-grain brown rice can be substituted for the long-grain rice, if desired. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

2

slices bacon, chopped fine

3

onions, chopped

½

teaspoon brown sugar

3

garlic cloves, minced

1

tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

1

tablespoon mustard seeds

1½

teaspoons ground coriander

Pinch cayenne pepper

8

cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed

4

carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced ½ inch thick

1

cup lentils, picked over and rinsed

½

cup long-grain brown rice

Salt and pepper

8

ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and sliced thin

2

tablespoons sherry vinegar

1. Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onions and sugar, cover, and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook, stirring often, until onions are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, mustard seeds, coriander, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.

2. Stir remaining 7 cups broth, carrots, lentils, rice, and ½ teaspoon salt into slow cooker. Cover and cook until lentils are tender, 7 to 9 hours on low or 4 to 6 hours on high.

3. Stir Brussels sprouts into stew and let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. (Adjust stew consistency with extra hot broth as needed.) Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Per 1⅔-cup serving:
Cal 290
Fat 5g
Sat Fat 1.5g
Chol 5mg
Carb 47g
Protein 17g
Fiber 10g
Sodium 990mg
*To reduce sodium level to 480mg, use unsalted broth.