Creamy Lentils with Crispy Mushrooms & Lemony Crunch
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp
- medium shallots 3
- garlic cloves 8
- Kosher
- French green lentils 1 cup
- Aleppo pepper 1 tsp
- low-sodium vegetable broth 2 ¾ cup
- fresh thyme 4-6 sprig
- shredded mixed mushrooms from 1 lb
- extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp
- good-quality tahini 2 tbsp
- white miso or soy sauce or tamari 2 tsp
- aged balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp
- flat-leaf parsley 1 handful
- Lemony Crunch ½ cup
- For serving: Crusty bread to serve 4
Cook black Beluga lentils the same as French green lentils. Green or brown lentils will take less time to cook and the texture will be slightly softer and less al dente. Bought cauliflower instead of mushrooms? Preheat the oven to 450ºF / 230ºC and arrange a rack in the top third. Cut the cauliflower into medium florets through the stem so you have a flat surface on one side (these brown better). Drizzle generously with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes; rotate the pan by 180º; roast for 10 to 12 minutes, or until browned and tender. Storage: Store lentils and mushrooms separately in containers in the fridge for about 4 days. Reheat the lentils on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water as needed. Reheat the mushrooms in a frying pan over medium-high with a bit of oil until hot and crispy. (Or reheat on a sheet pan in the oven at 350ºF / 175ºC for about 8 to 10 minutes.) Assemble as listed in the last step right before serving. Nutrition boost: Stir some finely chopped Swiss/rainbow chard into the lentils during the last ~5 minutes of cooking. Cook until the greens are wilted. Shortcut: If you bought arugula instead of mushrooms, toss the arugula with your best-quality extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar; season with salt and pepper to taste. Plate on top of the cooked lentils, then sprinkle on the Lemony Crunch. Shortcut: Use pre-cooked lentils. Add them as listed in step 2, but use just 1/4-1/2 cup veg broth in step 3. Heat the lentils through for about 5 minutes, then finish with the tahini, miso, and balsamic vinegar as listed in step 6.
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1Gather: extra virgin olive oil . For the lentil aromatics (from vegetable prep): medium shallots , garlic cloves , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, French green lentils , Aleppo pepper , low-sodium vegetable broth , fresh thyme . For the crispy mushrooms: shredded mixed mushrooms from , extra virgin olive oil , good-quality tahini , white miso or soy sauce or tamari , aged balsamic vinegar , flat-leaf parsley , Lemony Crunch , For serving: Crusty bread to serve .
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2Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat to 425ºF / 220°C.
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3Heat a medium Dutch oven or saucepan over medium with 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Once hot, add the Lentil Aromatics with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened and just turning golden, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the lentils and Aleppo pepper (if using), stirring to coat the lentils in oil.
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4Pour in the broth and scrape up any browned bits. Add thyme sprigs, if using. Partially cover the pan and cook at a rapid simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and rapidly simmer for 15-20 minutes , or until lentils are tender but still al dente and the liquid has thickened somewhat.
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5While the lentils cook, make the Crispy Mushrooms. Transfer the shredded mushrooms to a rimmed sheet pan and drizzle with 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Toss well to coat. Season with 3/4 tsp of kosher salt and spread out in an even layer. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the pan and stir the mushrooms. Roast for 10-12 minutes , or until browned and crispy. If your mushrooms are thin, pay close attention to prevent burning.
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6Meanwhile, prepare your side salad (if you’re making one) and prep the finishing ingredients. Measure out the tahini, miso, and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Roughly chop the parsley.
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7When the lentils are tender, turn the heat to low. Remove the thyme sprigs, if used. Add the tahini-miso-vinegar mixture and stir well into the lentils to dissolve the miso. Taste, adding more salt/pepper as needed, or balsamic vinegar for more tang.
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8Assemble: Divide the creamy lentils among bowls and top each with the Crispy Mushrooms. Scatter some Lemony Crunch ( timer tablespoons) on top of each, and garnish with parsley and more Aleppo pepper, if desired. Serve crusty bread and your side salad, if you made one.