Many ways to make some lentils, all freeze fantastically well for make-ahead meals.

Lenticchie e pasta

Ingredients

• 1 big yellow onion, chopped fine
• 2 15oz cans of tomatoes (sauce, diced, crushed … your pick, just don’t drain it)
• A couple cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
• 1 cup veggies … tomatoes, summer squash, carrots, whatever you have in the fridge to use up.
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 cup small pasta (orzo or similar)
• 4 cups veggie broth, plus or minus to taste
• Half a cup or so of wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• A bay leaf or two
• Some rosemary and thyme

Directions

1. Sauté the onions and veggies (if they’re sturdy veggies like carrots or celery) in olive oil. I like to let them get deeply browned.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
3. Dump in the cans of tomatoes, veggies (if they’re not sturdy veggies), dried lentils, veggie broth, and wine. Add in the herbs.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer for around half an hour or whenever the lentils are nearly done.
5. Add in the pasta, then top up with water if needed. Cook until the pasta is done.
6. Serve with a fresh drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, crusty bread, or fresh parmesan.

Not quite french onion soup

Ingredients

• 4 or 5 big yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 3 or 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup of dry sherry or dry white wine
• 8 cups or so of broth (beef is traditional, but veggie works well)
• A few bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• A drop or two of liquid smoke, optional
• 1 pound (~2 cups) dried french lentils
• Gruyere cheese for broiling, optional

Directions

1. Brown the onions with butter in a big dutch oven, stirring from time to time. Let them get dark, but careful they don’t get burned. Maybe an hour or so.
2. Deglaze with the sherry or white wine.
3. Add the lentils, broth, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and liquid smoke if you’re using it. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the lentils are done, probably another half hour or so.
4. Once it’s simmered down some, top the dutch oven with gruyere cheese and broil for a few minutes for the traditional cheese top.
5. Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Turmeric and harissa

Ingredients

• 1 bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
• Some olive oil
• A few cups of veggie broth
• A drop or two of liquid smoke, optional
• 1 cup lentils
• 0.5 tsp turmeric
• 0.25 tsp cumin
• 0.25 tsp coriander
• A pinch or two of allspice

Directions

1. Cut the onion and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat with some olive oil until deeply browned, 10-15 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
3. Add everything else, bring to a boil, and cook until lentils are done. 20-25 minutes.
4. Serve over some rice with harissa.