I arrived back in Boston this weekend into -11c weather, and this recipe presented itself to me when I woke up jet lagged in the wee hours of the morning
It is a wholesome, hearty dish, which warms the house up as you leave it to simmer as well as filling the house with beautiful aromas
It is a simpler lentil dish than I normal make, for those of you that don’t have a spice cupboard
It is a double protein dish or a triple protein dish for those who wish to use beef stock
I ate it for breakfast, but I suspect most would like it for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp. tomato puree
- 1 tbsp. mustard
- 2 cups Puy lentils
- 6 cups of vegetable* broth
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 tbsp. chopped chives
Method
- Pulse onion, fennel, carrots and chopped garlic in a blender until finely chopped
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot, add the mixture and season with salt and pepper
- Cook down until soft, c. 10 minutes
- Stir in tomato puree and cook till golden brown
- Add a splash of water if browning too much
- Add lentils and 6 cups water or broth (*can substitute vegetable broth for beef if not vegetarian)
- Add the bay leaves
- Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, c.45mins
- Taste and season with salt and pepper
- Add mustard and stir through
- Remove the bay leaves
- When nearly cooked, add spinach and mix in to cook/wilt into the lentils
- Using the back of a spoon, create 4 divots in the surface of the lentil soup and drop an egg into each, cover the pot and let simmer until eggs are cooked (if you are not comfortable with this, poach separately and add when serving)
- When ready divide into four bowls, add a dash of red vinegar to each (optional), chopped chives (optional) and some pecorino (optional), serve with rustic gluten free country bread (optional)
