Pixel Glade

Braised Black Lentils

Sourced from: Recipe for Vegans

Your cooking skills will level up when you cook lentils in wine (the recipe suggests alternatives but if you can afford it, try the wine). Also, braised lentils go well with toast.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil (or less)
• 1 onion, diced ( or sub 1 large leek)
• 1 cup diced celery (or fennel bulb)
• 1 cup diced carrot ( or beet.)
• 4-5 garlic cloves, rough chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry French Green Lentils (Le Puy, or small black lentils– beluga, caviar, etc. )
• 1/4 cup sherry wine, red wine, white wine, marsala wine (or skip it and add 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar at the end)
• 4 cups veggie stock ( or just water)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4–5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrots and stir 4-5 minutes, then turn heat down to medium. Cook 4-5 more minutes and add the garlic and lentils. Cook 2 minutes stirring.

Add the wine. Let this cook-off, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the veggie stock, salt, and mustard and stir until combined and bring to a good simmer. Add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, cover and gently simmer on low heat 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.

When the lentils are tender, uncover and cook off any extra liquid ( or feel free to drain). Remove the thyme sprigs, taste and adjust salt. A tiny little splash of red wine vinegar flaful them up.

Leftovers can be frozen for later use, or refrigerated and made into a salad the next day- adding fresh veggies and a simple vinaigrette. Or use for breakfast, warmed on toast, with sesame or olive oil.