Top | Vegan

Spanish Lentils and Mushrooms

(recipe, Carrie Stewart)

Ingredients

  1. * 1 small white onion, finely diced
  2. * 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
  3. * extra virgin olive oil
  4. * 2 cups French green lentils, picked over and washed
  5. * 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (such as pimenton dulce)
  6. * salt
  7. * sherry vinegar
  8. * 1 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered lengthwise
  9. * 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
  10. * 6 big leaves of basil, chiffonade
  11. * black pepper

Steps

  1. 1. In a large saucepan, saute the onion and garlic with a good glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the lentils and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender. Add the smoked paprika. Season with salt, sherry vinegar, and more smoked paprika to taste. I like there to be just an edge of vinegary sourness without it being overpowering.
  2. 2. Meanwhile, In a very hot saute pan, fry the mushrooms with another glug of olive oil, turning occasionally. Try to get them to brown well on most sides. Season with salt.
  3. 3. Toss the cherry tomatoes and basil with a little olive oil, sherry vinegar, and salt.
  4. 4. To serve, divide the lentils into bowls. Top with the mushrooms, and top that with the salad. Give the whole thing a grind of black pepper and maybe another little dusting of smoked paprika