With the forecast calling for torrential rain and high winds, there was no way we were going out last night. So Michael decided to try one of the Martha Rose Shulman recipes he’d seen on the New York Times‘ “Wellness” blog. This is a man who, as I’ve said, considers ketchup to be his favorite vegetable; I was skeptical that he’d really cook something labeled a “recipe for health.”
I was wrong. He broadened his horizons and his palate and made Shulman’s Lentils and Carrots with Olive Oil.
Photo: Andrew Scrivani/New York Times
Can I just tell you how good it was? We had it with roast chicken, and I was in heaven – and, shockingly, so was Michael. Total comfort food. Here’s the recipe.
1 cup brown, green or black lentils, rinsed
3 cups water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, halved lengthwise, then sliced thin across the grain
1 teaspoon coriander seeds (we omitted these)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced thin (about 4 cups sliced)
1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in 1 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1. Combine the lentils with 3 cups water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Set a strainer over a bowl, and drain.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy casserole or skillet. Add the onion and coriander seeds. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and carrots and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, for two to three minutes until the carrots begin to soften. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, sugar and lentils. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water from the lentils (enough to cover the lentils), salt to taste and half the mint. Bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the lentils are tender and much of the liquid has evaporated. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from the heat, sprinkle on the remaining mint and serve, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature with cooked whole grains, like bulgur or quinoa.
Yield: Serves four to six.
After soaking a cup of farro in chicken broth for an hour and a half, I added a teaspoon of salt to the pot, brought the liquid to a boil, turned the heat down, covered the pot and simmered the farro for 45 minutes. Then I turned off the heat and let the farro rest for 15 minutes. And finally I drained the liquid and put the farro in a bowl. I served it with roast chicken, pan juices, carrots and mushrooms and roasted beets. I’m so stuffed I can’t even breathe, but it was worth it. The farro is similar to barley but has a nuttier flavor and creamier texture. I adored it. Michael did too, and he didn’t expect to; until tonight his favorite “grain” was this.
