Warm Lentil & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Salad

This is another dish with a crispy and delicious parmesan topping. Cheese makes everything better. 🙂 I loved that the base of the dish was an arugula salad. The crunchy roasted almond topping provided a nice contrasting texture too.

I cut the head of cauliflower through the center into two steaks and roasted the additional florets in a formation as close to a plank as well, for presentation purposes. Next time, I may change the orientation of the cauliflower to keep the florets attached to the core.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living. I used French green lentils, added red pepper flakes, and modified the cooking and serving methods. It was a lovely, fresh and healthy light meal. We ate it for dinner, but it would also be wonderful served for a special lunch, of course. 🙂

Yield: Serves 4

• 3 cups of cored and chopped tomatoes, about 3 beefsteak tomatoes (I used 2 beefsteak and 3 romas)
• 2 to 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, plus 1 clove for cooking the lentils, if desired
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/2 cup (8 T) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
• 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cut through the core into 1-inch planks
• 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils (I used French green lentils)
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (3/4 cup)
• 1 bunch arugula, trimmed (I used about 4 oz wild baby arugula)
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• toasted almonds, chopped, for serving (I used sliced almonds)

1. Cook the lentils: Place 3/4 to 1 cup of dried lentils with a large smashed (but intact) garlic clove, optional, in a pot covered by 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and season with salt. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender. (You will have leftover cooked lentils.)
2. Toast the almonds: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread almonds in an even layer on a rimmed quarter sheet pan. Toast the almonds, stirring once or twice, about 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Remove and set aside.
3. Increase the oven temperature to 475°F, with a rack placed in the center and another rack in top position. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
4. In a bowl, toss together tomatoes, garlic, capers, large pinch of red pepper flakes, if using, and 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.
5. Place cauliflower planks on a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Brush cauliflower evenly with 3 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper.
7. Roast until undersides are golden, 12 to 13 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, flip the cauliflower and push to one side.
8. Add tomato mixture to other side of the pan.
9. Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees; roast 12 minutes more.
10. Stir 1 1/2 cups drained lentils into tomato mixture. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.
11. Sprinkle everything with cheese.
12. Switch oven setting to broil, and broil on top rack until cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
13. Toss arugula with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper.
14. Serve the roasted cauliflower planks over lentils and arugula salad, sprinkled with toasted almonds.

Red Lentil Soup with Warm Spices

I absolutely love red lentil soup. I have made several versions and I have always been pleased with the results. It’s easy, healthy, and delicious. This version was incredibly creamy. I loved the pop of color from the flavorful toppings too.

This recipe was adapted from America’s Test Kitchen. I modified the proportions. We ate it with a green salad and warm naan- a perfect light dinner. Vegetable stock can be substituted for the chicken stock for a vegetarian version.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10

For the Soup:

• 4 T unsalted butter
• 2 large onions, chopped fine (I used a food processor)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch cayenne
• 2 T tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups chicken stock (I used 4 cups chicken stock & 4 cups homemade turkey stock)
• 4 cups water
• 21 ounces (3 cups) red lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 4 T (1/4 cup, about 1 lemon) freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning

For the Topping:

• 4 T unsalted butter
• 3 tsp dried mint, crumbled (I omitted it)
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

To Make the Soup:

1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and 2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in broth, water, and lentils and bring to simmer. Simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes.
6. Whisk soup vigorously until it is coarsely pureed, about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. Cover and keep warm. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Thin soup with water, if desired, when reheating.)

To Make the Topping:

1. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small skillet or in the microwave. (I only did 1/2 of the topping because I froze 1/2 of the soup!)
2. Remove from heat and stir in mint and paprika, as desired.
3. Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each portion with spiced butter (about 1 teaspoon), sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

One-Pan Pork Sausage Meatballs with Green Lentils

I love one-pan dishes! This dish is made in the oven using one baking dish. It was also easy to prepare. 🙂 I modified the recipe due to personal preference- and to incorporate ingredients that I had readily available. I included all of the options in the recipe below.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. I modified the proportions and oven temperature, used celery instead of fennel, and added carrots. I also substituted sweet Italian pork sausage for hot sausage and green lentils for brown lentils. The vinegar was essential to the finished dish.

Yield: Serves 6

• 4 celery stalks, diced or 1 fennel bulb, cored, cut into 1/2-inch wedges through the root, plus 1/4 cup fresh fennel fronds
• 4 large carrots, diced
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds bulk hot or sweet Italian pork sausage (or fresh Italian sausages, casings removed)(or a combination)
• 1 egg
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups green or brown lentils
• 4 to 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1-2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, plus more for serving

1. Heat the oven to 425°, preferably on convection.
2. In a 9×13-inch baking pan or baking dish, gently toss the celery and carrots (or fennel wedges) with the olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (I used a ceramic baking dish.)
3. Roast until vegetables are golden brown underneath, about 10 minutes for fennel or up to 20 minutes for carrots and celery. (Fennel will not be tender at this point.)
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, use your hands or a spoon to mix the sausage with the egg until combined. Roll the mixture into 16 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs.
5. Add the chicken stock, lentils, garlic and rosemary to the roasted vegetables. Stir to combine, then season with 3/4 teaspoon salt.
6. Place the meatballs in the lentil mixture, drizzle the meatballs with olive oil, then roast until the meatballs are browned on top and lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Discard the rosemary sprig, then stir in the vinegar, parsley leaves and fennel fronds, if using (reserve a few fronds for garnishing, if desired). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Spoon the lentils and any braising liquid onto shallow bowls and top with the meatballs.
9. Garnish with additional parsley leaves and fennel fronds, if desired.

Spicy Red Lentil Stew with Coconut Milk & Spinach

This Indian stew was fast to prepare, loaded with spices and flavor, and was absolutely fabulous. What a combination! If that wasn’t enough, it was also a hearty vegetarian dish with a little bit of heat. All my favorites.

This recipe is from Milk Street: The New Home Cooking by Christopher Kimball. It is a simplified version of a classic Goan dish. I increased the amount of onion and served the stew with warm naan and chopped grape tomatoes on the side as an optional garnish.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 T coconut or peanut oil
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• kosher salt
• 3 tsp finely grated fresh ginger, divided
• 2 tsp yellow or brown mustard seeds
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp freshly ground fennel seeds
• 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 13.5 to 14 oz can coconut milk
• 1 cup split red lentils, rinsed
• 6 oz (about 6 cups) baby spinach, roughly chopped
• juice of 1/2 to 1 lime
• unsweetened coconut flakes, for garnish, optional
• chopped tomatoes, for garnish, optional

1. In a large saucepan over medium to medium-high, combine the onion, oil, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are just beginning to color, 7 to 9 minutes.
3. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the grated ginger, the mustard seed, turmeric, coriander, fennel, and red pepper flakes.
4. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add the water, coconut milk, and lentils, then bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the lentils have broken down, about 30 to 40 minutes.
7. Uncover and stir in the spinach; return to a simmer.
8. Off the heat, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of grated ginger and the lime juice.
9. Season with salt to taste.
10. Serve, garnished with coconut flakes and chopped tomatoes, as desired.

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup with Italian Sausage & Greens

I actually have a third tasty soup to share. This one is reminiscent of one of our family favorites, Lentil-Kielbasa Soup. Don’t worry- it’s not so similar that it will prevent me from making my tried and true lentil-sausage soup as well this season. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Sarah Digregorio. I used French green lentils instead of black lentils, modified the proportions and incorporated a mixture of CSA greens including beet greens, broccoli greens and escarole. I also garnished the soup with my CSA parsley instead of basil.

This soup could easily be made on the stove top instead of in a slow cooker. I loved that it gobbled up my CSA greens too.

Yield: 6 servings

• 1 pound hot or sweet Italian pork sausage, loose or removed from its casing
• olive oil, if necessary
• 1 large red or yellow onion, chopped
• Kosher salt
• 10 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 oregano sprigs, leaves only, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• generous pinch of red-pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups dried lentils, preferably black beluga (I used French green lentils)
• 1 (14-ounce) can whole or chopped tomatoes
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 5 ounces greens, such as baby spinach or kale, or 1 medium bunch greens, such as chard or kale, stemmed and chopped (I used a mixture of beet & broccoli greens with escarole)
• 1 T red-wine vinegar
• chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
• grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for garnish

1.  In a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spatula, until it is in small, coarse pieces, and starts to brown and sizzle in its own fat, about 8 minutes.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage to a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. There should be a thin layer of fat covering the bottom of the skillet. If there is much more than that, pour a bit of the fat off. If there is not enough fat to cover the bottom of the pan, add a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Add the onion to the skillet, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the onion and garlic powders, the herbs, red pepper flakes and several generous grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine.
6. Increase heat to medium-high, pour in the wine and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot. Let the wine bubble until the pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes.
7. Scrape the skillet mixture into the slow cooker with the sausage.
8. Add the bay leaf and the lentils.
9. Add the tomatoes with their juice. If using whole, crush the tomatoes into pieces using your hands as you add them with their juice.
10. Pour in the chicken stock.
11. Season generously with pepper and add 1/2 teaspoon salt if you are using low-sodium stock or 1 teaspoon salt if using homemade unsalted stock. Do not add salt now if you are using fully salted stock.
12. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low until the lentils are tender, about 6 to 8 hours. (Taste the lentils to make sure they are firm but creamy on the inside; black lentils can vary in their cooking time depending on their age and the heat of your slow cooker.) The soup holds well on warm for 2 additional hours.
13. Switch the heat to high. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Stir in the greens and cook until wilted and tender, about 2 minutes for baby spinach, 10 minutes for kale.
14. Stir in the vinegar.
15. Serve in bowls, topped with chopped parsley and/or basil and grated Parmesan.

Lentil & Orzo Stew with Lemon & Coriander-Spiced Roasted Eggplant

Happy 2019! I have a few healthy “January” recipes to share before getting back to my belated holiday menu recipes. 🙂

This wonderful stew was hearty and healthy. The flavors in the dish were brightened with lemon zest and juice. I also loved that the roasted eggplant was seasoned with crushed coriander seeds- it made it a more special topping.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Yewande Komolafe. I doubled the recipe, increased the garlic and eggplant, decreased the oil, and used green lentils and feta cheese. Excellent.

Yield: 8 servings

• roughly 3 pounds eggplant (I used 3 medium eggplant), chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 T olive oil, divided
• 2 T coriander seeds, crushed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
• 4 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 T tomato paste
• 2 cups dried lentils (green, black or brown)
• 10 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or water (I used 4 cups homemade turkey stock & 6 cups chicken stock)
• 1 cup orzo or other small pasta
• zest and juice from 2 lemons, plus lemon wedges for garnish
• ¼ cup shaved ricotta salata or crumbled feta, or to taste

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
2. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with 1/4 cup olive oil and crushed coriander seeds until coated; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer on 2 parchment paper-lined large rimmed baking sheets and roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, giving the baking sheet a shake halfway through roasting to toss the eggplant pieces for even cooking.
3. In a large stock pot, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons oil over medium. (I used a large enameled cast iron pot.) Add the carrot, onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste begins to darken on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the lentils until coated. Pour in stock or water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type and age of lentils you use.
6. Stir in the orzo and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Top with the roasted eggplant pieces and crumbled feta or large shavings of ricotta salata. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing, as desired.

Lalla Mussa Dal

This dish was so creamy and delicious I could barely stand it. The spicy kick made it absolute perfection.

This recipe was adapted from The Yellow Chilli Cookbook by Indian celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, via The New York Times. This creamy lentil stew is his signature dish. I reduced the butter (by HALF), doubled the recipe, increased the garlic, used jalapeños, and used a pressure cooker to expedite the cooking process.

I served it over brown Basmati rice with sautéed spinach with garlic and cumin on the side. Wonderful!

• 1 cup whole black gram lentils (sabut urad)
• 1/4 cup whole green gram lentils (split mung beans or abut moong)
• 2 green chiles (such as Indian harimirch or serrano), cut into thin strips (I used jalapeños, cut into rounds)
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, cut into thin strips
• ½ cup melted unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups tomato purée
• 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder, or cayenne
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
• 16 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• coarse salt, to taste
• 1-inch piece ginger, cut into thin strips, for garnish, as desired
• brown Basmati rice, for serving

1. Mix together both types of lentils and rinse thoroughly in salted water. Drain. If using a pressure cooker, cover with 2-inches of water; cook on low for 10 minutes. (Alternatively, add 1 cup water and soak for 1 hour.)
2. Drain lentils again, add to a small pot with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Skim the scum and dirt off the top and discard.
3. Strain the lentils and return them to the pot. Add 1 cup water, the green chiles and ginger and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
4. Add 1/4 cup of the butter and simmer on low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring often and mashing with the back of a big spoon as the lentils soften.
5. After about 35 minutes, melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter in a deep nonstick pan; add the tomato purée and sauté on low heat until fat rises to the surface. (I used a 4-quart enameled cast iron pot.)
6. Add the red chili powder (or cayenne), ground coriander, fenugreek leaves and garlic to the tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to dry out and stick to the pan.
7. Add the lentils and mix well. Add the cream and mix well. Add 1 to 2 cups water (for desired texture) and salt to taste, and bring to a boil.
8. Serve hot, over rice and garnished with ginger strips, as desired.

One Year Ago: Shrimp in Green Mole

Two Years Ago: Stuffed Poblano Casserole

Three Years Ago: Sautéed Haricots Verts with Mushrooms & Shallots

Four Years Ago: Chana Dal and Spinach cooked with Onions (Mughlai Saag)

Five Years Ago:  Sri Lankan Coconut Chicken Curry with Cashews