Last week brought the first real cold front we’ve had in Florida this year, and I loved it. I got to eat breakfast in my mom’s old wool robe, and whenever I crossed the doorstep I was exuberantly primed with my boots, sweater, fleece jacket and fluffy bright orange scarf.
Cold weather is exciting as long as it doesn’t last more than a few weeks. Beyond that, I start daydreaming about picnics and carefree bike rides in shorts and a tank top.
When temperatures drop below sixty, I find few foods more satisfying than lentils. A simple lentil stew like this one is easy to make, hearty, and most importantly, very tasty.
Make some and have yourself a warm bowl, or make a large batch and have many meals taken care of.
P.S. You may also like these:
Stewed Red Lentils with Cumin and Lime
Red Lentil and Sausage Soup
Lentil Salad
Lentil Stew Recipe
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 10 MIN
COOK TIME: 55 MIN
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups green lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 3 cups vegetable or beef stock
- 5 cups water
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Directions:
Heat the olive oil and tomato paste in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the celery and garlic for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the lentils, stock, water, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid and cook until the lentils are tender, about 50 minutes.
Serve the stew warm. Top it with a dollop of yogurt, some olive oil and minced celery leaves, if you wish.