Braised Lentils

A versatile sauce: excellent with polenta, delicious with pasta, dangerous if eaten spoonful after spoonful (it’s addictive). Never ever without it 🙂

Ingredients:
(serves  3/4)
1 red onion
1 carrot
1 clove of garlic
a dozen of boiled chestnuts
180 gr of lentils
2 glasses of red wine
bay leaf, salt, pepper, e.v.o. oil

Method:
It’s a “slow” recipe, so take it easy! The longer it cooks, the tastier it will be: I used a clay pot on a low heat, so keep that in mind, my cooking times are more dilated.
Coarsely chop onion, carrot and garlic and sautè them with a bit of oil and a couple of bay leaves (10 minutes). When they get just golden, add the lentils and brown them for 5-8 minutes. Add the chestnuts, chopped into pieces and, after a few minutes, the wine (both glasses). Let simmer until it has all almost evaporated (30 minutes) and add 800 ml of boiling water (or broth if you prefer; but I assure you that it does not need flavouring). Let it simmer a hour and a half longer, stirring occasionally: when it’s still a bit watery, purée it with the hand blender. Let the remaining water evaporate (it must looks like a sauce) and season with salt and pepper: I added a splash of wine to enliven it a little more.
Serve with polenta (that is not slow, I admit) and a bottle of good red wine. It warms your heart and it’s so much wintry! Ah, I wish I had a fireplace …

Chef: Betti from VeganBlog

1. Cassandra78 19 October 2010 at 20:30

   

   I wish I had a fireplace as well! And I would like winter to come as soon as possible 🙂
   This recipe is sooo good !

   
   
2. Mannu 19 October 2010 at 20:54

   

   Uhhh… This is irresistible!

   
   
3. ascanio 20 October 2010 at 19:49

   

   Welll done…you’re right, it’s a very wintry and enjoyable dish!

   
   
4. Bubbie 16 May 2011 at 21:31

   

   That saves me. Thanks for being so sneslbie!