Yield: 2 servings as main course, 4 servings as a side dish
Time: 45 minutes
A mouth-watering recipe from France using Puy lentils. They are small, retain their shape and bite and, best of all, are of the non-burp variety. They are originally from the Puy-de-Dôme region in the Massif Central east of Lyon. In the US they are grown in Montana and sold as Puy lentils or green lentils and are widely available.
Some foods are symbolic, like lentils on New Year’s eve. They bring prosperity in the New Year. They resemble coins and swell when cooked. It has been a custom in my family for generations and I continue the tradition. Most of all lentils are very good for you, lots of minerals and fibers. So, cheers to less meat and good luck to your health for the New Year.
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence
- salt and pepper
- 1 large eggplant, about 14 oz (140 g), cut into chunks of 2×1 inches (5 x 3 cm)
- 1 1/2 cup (300 g) cherry tomatoes, sliced in the middle
- 1 cup (200 g) Puy lentils
- 3 cups (750 ml) vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine
- 6-8 Tbsp Greek yogurt
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped for garnish
Preparation:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add red onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.
Using the same saucepan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, reduce heat to medium-high and add the eggplant cubes. Do not crowd the eggplant in the saucepan. Add more olive oil if needed. Sauté for about 10 minutes turning cubes often until cubes are golden brown on all sides and soft.
Add the reserved onion and garlic, the lentils, cherry tomatoes, wine and vegetable stock to the eggplant. Bring to a rapid boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 40-45 minutes or until lentils are soft but still “al dente”. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix gently.
Serve warm, not hot. Garnish with Greek yogurt, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and cilantro (coriander leaves) on top.
