Lentils Puttanesca Recipes

LENTILS PUTTANESCA

Steps:

• Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
• Place the lentils in heat-proof bowl. Pour boiling water over them, covering by one inch. Place a dinner plate over the bowl to cover and set aside. (You can do this in the morning to save time.)
• Heat the oil over medium-high in a large sautepan. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for five minutes, stirring often. Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. Cook for two minutes, until tomato paste is fragrant and has darkened in color.
• Drain and rinse the lentils, then add them to the pan, along with the mushrooms. Cook for one minute, stirring often. Add the tomatoes, plus two cups of water.
• Lower heat to medium, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes. Add additional water if needed.
• While the lentils are simmering, prepare the farro according to package directions.
• Once the lentils are tender, remove from heat, season with black pepper and stir in the olives and capers, then squeeze in the lemon juice.
• Serve immediately, over the cooked farro, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil.

LENTIL PUTTANESCA WITH SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan, over medium heat, add 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup rinsed lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Season the salmon steaks with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large nonstick saute pan, over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering add the salmon fillets. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. Remove the fillets to a baking sheet fitted with a rack and put in the oven.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan, over high heat. When the oil is hot add the onions, capers, olives and anchovies. Stir often until the onions are just starting to caramelize. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 2 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, red wine vinegar and the lemon juice. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lentils and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Stir in the basil and parsley and remove from heat.
• Remove the salmon from oven, and transfer the fillets to serving plates. Top each serving with the puttanesca and garnish with a whole basil sprig.