Lentils With Pearl Onions Recipes

LENTILS WITH PEARL ONIONS

Steps:

• Rinse lentils and drain. Place lentils, onions and bay leaf in medium large saucepan with enough water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat then reduce heat to very low, cover, and cook very gently 20 minutes. Uncover, stir in salt, and add water if necessary to just cover the lentils. Continue cooking gently, covered, 10 to 25 minutes until lentils are just cooked through (creamy, not floury in the center, but not mushy either).
• Frozen pearl onions are a super easy way to introduce a savory note to legumes as they are cooking. Lentils are the quickest cooking member of the legume family and need no soaking since the seed coat is very thin.

RED WINE BRAISED FRENCH LENTILS

Steps:

• Parboil the lentils 5 minutes and drain. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté 5 minutes until lightly browned.
• Add garlic, tomato paste and sage. Cook 1-2 minutes more, stirring frequently.
• Stir in wine, water, mustard, lentils, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Gently simmer partially covered for 25 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add pearl onions; season with salt and pepper. Sauté 5-7 minutes until tender and caramelized, stirring frequently.
• Once lentils are tender, add the spinach a couple handfuls at a time allowing each addition to wilt before adding the next.
• Stir pearl onions into the lentils. Remove bay leaf.
• Serve warm in bowls with toasted bread of choice or as a side dish. See post for additional serving suggestions. Enjoy!

LENTILS WITH ONION AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Heat oil in medium saute pan or saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry onion until crisp and reddish-brown, about 10 minutes, then drain on paper towels.
• Put garlic and chile in saucepan and fry for 20 seconds or until just beginning to brown. Add lentils and water. Partially cover and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until lentils are soft.
• Serve lentils with onions on top.
• Note: I used 6 cloves of garlic and 2 chiles, and it still wasn't hot enough for my tastes.

FRENCH LENTILS WITH CARROTS AND PEARL ONIONS

Steps:

• Blanch pearl onions in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan of boiling water 1 minute, then drain and peel.
• Heat butter in dry cleaned saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add lentils and water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are just tender, 12 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaf. Transfer lentils to a serving dish using a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with parsley.

CHICKEN RAGOûT WITH LENTILS AND PEARL ONIONS

Steps:

• Combine first 7 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Simmer until lentils are just tender, about 25 minutes (mixture will be soupy). Remove from heat.
• Heat oil in large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet; cook until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate. Add pearl onions to skillet; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate with chicken. Add wine to skillet; boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add lentil mixture, chicken, onions and vinegar. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve.