Lentils San Stefano Recipes

PASTA WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute' for 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves and stir for a minute (If you use canned tomatoes or only tomato paste rather than fresh tomatoes, add them along with the ingredients listed below).
• Add lentils, cumin, tomato paste, broth, and pepper.
• Increase heat and bring to simmer. Place lid on and turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until lentils are soft.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your liking (see notes).*
• Add pasta, cook gently over medium heat until al dente. Stir frequently!
• If the stew seems too thick, gradually add a touch of water or broth and thin to desired consistency (note: the longer it sits on the stove, the thicker it will get). Taste, you might want to adjust again the seasoning before serving.
• Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese if you don't keep it vegan. Also, garnish with chili flakes and chopped parsley for extra flavor if you like. Enjoy!

ITALIAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add in the diced onions, carrots, and celery, and saute for about 8-10 minutes until onion is soft and translucent.
• Add the minced garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Keep an eye on the garlic and stir as it will brown quickly (1-2 minutes is enough to cook up the garlic).
• Add in the lentils and stir, combining it with the soffritto mixture (about 2-3 minutes).
• Add in the tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to break them up and combine them with the lentils (if using canned plum tomatoes, break them up before adding, and remove the tough white core). Let this simmer together for a few minutes and season with salt (and pepper, if you're using). If you're not using a low sodium broth, wait to add salt until after you add your broth.
• Next, add in the broth and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil for a few minutes and then lower the heat to a simmer.
• Check the seasoning and add more salt (if needed)and pepper and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
• Stir in kale during last 10 minutes of cooking. You just want the kale to be wilted, but cook it more if you don't mind it on softer side.
• If soup is thickening too much, add a bit of water (start out with 1/4 cup and check how consistency is). The lentils will thicken up as they cook.
• When ready to serve, remove the bay leaf.
• Ladle into serving bowls and drizzle on some olive oil.
• Add in red pepper flakes, if using.
• SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS:
• Add the first 12 ingredients (through the salt + pepper) to a large 6-quart slow cooker, and stir to combine.
• Cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, until the lentils are tender and cooked through.
• Stir in the kale during the last hour of cooking.
• Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaves.
• Serve warm, garnished with optional toppings if desired.

LENTILS SAN STEFANO

Steps:

• Bring 3 cups water and bay leaf to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan, then add lentils and simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let lentils soak 1 hour. Drain lentils in a colander.
• Cook pork fat in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and some fat is rendered, 6 to 8 minutes, then discard solids. (If using bacon, transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and reserve for garnish.)
• Add oil to fat in pot and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry bread, turning once, until golden, about 1 minute total. Transfer toasts to paper towels to drain and lightly season with salt. Add potatoes to fat in pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to fresh paper towels to drain.
• Add onion and garlic to pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in lentils, tomatoes with their juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and remaining 5 cups water and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just tender and stew is thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in potatoes, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Thin stew with water if desired, then serve over toasts or with toasts on the side. Sprinkle with bacon if using.
• *Available at specialty foods shops and natural foods stores.

MINESTRA DI LENTICCHIE E ZAFFERANO DI SANTO STEFANO DI SESSANIO

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils and soak them in cold water for 1/2 hour. If you are using a variety of lentils other than those recommended, leave them to soften in the cold water overnight.
• Lightly toast the saffron threads, then dissolve them in 2 tablespoons of warmed Cognac.
• In a large soup pot over a medium flame, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat the pancetta. Scent the fats with the garlic, softening it but taking care not to color it. Add the bay leaf, the lentils, six cups of cold water, the saffron, the tomatoes, and the sea salt. Over a moderate flame, bring to a simmer and cook the lentils for 1/2 hour or until they are soft but not collapsing. Remove from the heat, add the red wine vinegar and stir it well into the soup.
• Permit the soup to rest, uncovered, while you warm a little olive oil in a sauté pan and sauté the bread well on all sides. In a small bowl with a wire whisk, beat the cream with the cloves and the remaining 1 tablespoon of Cognac just until it begins to thicken.
• Ladle the soup into warm bowls, add a few bits of the sautéed bread, and float a spoonful or two of the perfumed cream over each. Drink good red wine and continue to drink it after the soup with thick shards from a fine, aged pecorino.