Lentil And Egg Stew Recipes

LENTIL AND EGG STEW

Steps:

• Pulse onion, fennel, carrots, and chopped garlic in a food processor until soffritto is finely chopped. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add soffritto, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 10-12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if mixture is browning too quickly, until golden brown and very soft (it will look almost like a purée), 10-12 minutes. Add lentils and 6 cups water. Lay Parmesan rind on top (it may stick if it falls to the bottom). Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until lentils are tender, 35-45 minutes, depending on type. Taste and season with more salt.
• Meanwhile, place spinach in a glass bowl and add a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Microwave on high until bright green and slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Squeeze firmly to expel excess water, then cut in half. (If you don't have a microwave, add the spinach directly to the pot and let it wilt slightly before making divots for eggs.) Thin stew with water by 1/4-cupfuls if needed to loosen. Scatter wilted spinach across the top.
• Using the back of a spoon, create 4 divots in surface of stew and drop an egg into each. Cover pot and simmer stew very gently just until eggs are set, 8-12 minutes.
• While the eggs are cooking, heat a small saucepan over medium-high; pour in oil to come 1/4" up sides. Working one at a time, fry slices of bread, turning once and adding more oil as needed, until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute per side for each slice. Season lightly with salt and rub with garlic clove.
• Carefully divide stew and eggs among bowls, add a splash of vinegar to each, and top with Pecorino. Serve with fried bread.
• Do Ahead
• Stew (without eggs and spinach) can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

LENTIL AND KALE STEW

Steps:

• Cut stems off the kale and mince. Chop leaves into pinky finger-sized strips.
• Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and starting to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Grind fresh salt and pepper over the onion. Add black and red lentils; toss with onion to coat.
• Stir in vegetable broth, cumin, and cayenne. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and add kale stems and leaves. Simmer until lentils are tender and broth is largely absorbed, about 20 minutes. Squeeze in lemon juice. Sample stew and adjust cumin, cayenne, and pepper until it has a complex, full-flavored taste.

TURKISH LENTIL AND EGGPLANT STEW

Steps:

• Boil the lentils in 2 cups of water and salt, until partially cooked. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil and add in the onion and the garlic and saute for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
• Add in the tomatoes, mint, thyme, red pepper flakes and salt and cook for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and the sauce has begun simmering and thickens slightly.
• Slice the eggplant and place in a colander and sprinkle with the salt and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes. This can be done at the beginning if you wish.
• Blot with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
• To assemble, place some of the tomato sauce at the bottom of a heavy bottomed pot (with a tight fitting lid). Add in a layer of the eggplants, drizzle with a little olive oil and add in the lentils. Follow this order ending with the tomato sauce until all the ingredients are used up.
• Top with the pomegranate molasses, drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for an hour and half.
• Let the stew rest for another 30 minutes or a couple of hours before serving.
• To serve mix in the chopped parsley or mint, garnish with the almonds and serve with crusty bread.