SERVES 4
Skill Level: EASY
Cook Time: 30 mins.
Prep Time: 20 mins.
Cost: $
This is a recipe that practically goes in one dish and comes out 30 minutes later ready to eat! With a side salad and maybe a baguette, you’ve got dinner. Lentils are probably the ingredient that I buy the most. I inherit that from the Turkish side of my family. We use lentils in a lot of ways to complement meat dishes but also sometimes as a substitute for meat. For vegetarians, they are a nutrientdense, protein-dense food with the meaty consistency we all crave.
This medley features carrots and shallots, which develop a savory sweetness, and Brussels sprouts, which are at their pinnacle of flavor in the fall. When I cook for my husband after a day’s work, I want to make dishes that are relatively easy and not about a whole big production. This is just that.
4 small carrots, halved lengthwise
3 shallots, halved
1 butternut squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
4 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dried black lentils, rinsed
1/2 an onion
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 pound arugula
1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the carrots, shallots, squash, Brussels sprouts, and garlic. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Pour vegetables onto a sheet tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, tossing once, halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the lentils by putting them into a small saucepan and covering with water by 2 inches. Add the onion and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and discard the onion, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
4. Once the vegetables are finished roasting, remove the garlic. Peel and mash the garlic in a small bowl, combine with the remaining 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard, and whisk into a vinaigrette. Toss the lentils with the vinaigrette, fold in the arugula leaves, and then top with roasted vegetables to serve.
Some advice to new lentil lovers
With lentils, you want to add flavor while they cook. I usually boil them in water with an onion studded with cloves, some bay leaves, and a little olive oil. Then walk away and let the ingredients get to know one another. A low simmer is the way to go. Cook until they are al dente, with just a little tooth resistance. Mushy lentils are no fun. I like to use red lentils for soup because they’re already cracked, they’re really creamy, and they give a nice starchiness to the soup. I would use green (Puy) lentils for a salad, and I might use brown lentils for a heartier soup or casserole where I want the lentils to hold their shape.