Braised Lentils with Spinach
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1-1/2 cups brown lentils
- 1 small onions, diced
- 1 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, trimmed and diced
- 1 bay leaves
- Salt
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups finely shredded fresh spinach, thoroughly washed and drained
Preparation
- Pour enough cold water over the lentils, onions, carrots, celery, and bay leaves in a 3-quart saucepan to cover by three fingers. Season with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat so the water is at a gentle boil and cook until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the lentils, discard the bay leaves, and transfer to a large skillet.
- Pour in the chicken stock and olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced enough to coat the lentils, about 3 minutes. Scatter the spinach over the lentils and toss just until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I didn’t use chicken stock, but instead cooked ¾ lbs boneless, skinless chicken in the pan (with herbs) then deglazed the pan with white wine and added the lentils.
- I used all of the spinach stalks instead of the greens which turned out really well.