French Lentil Stew
This cozy stew is chock full of good stuff. Make a batch now and freeze some for later. Look for French (small green) lentils, but you can use regular (brown) lentils.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 bulb fennel diced
- ⅓ cup (6 Tbsp) tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1½ cups French lentils (or brown lentils)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 6 cups water
Additions (amounts to taste)
- Zucchini diced
- fresh ginger root minced
- "Better than Bouillon" Mushroom base
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and fennel (and zucchini, and ginger, if using), until lightly browned, 7-10 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste. Cook until it starts to brown, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the bay leaf, thyme, and lentils. Stir in water and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add mushroom base (if using). Simmer until the lentils are al dentem 20-25 minutes.
- Season with the salt and pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
- Serve.