French lentils, known for retaining their shape when cooked, are a delightful and nutritious ingredient. Paired with chard, a leafy green packed with essential vitamins and minerals, they create a colorful and flavorful dish that is easy to prepare and pleases both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. This article presents a collection of recipes that showcase the versatility of French lentils and chard, offering a range of culinary experiences from hearty soups and stews to flavorful salads and main courses.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
WARM FRENCH LENTILS
Steps:
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan, add the leek and carrots, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place the lentils, 4 cups of water, the onion with the cloves, and the turnip in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender. Remove and discard the onion and turnip and drain the lentils. Place them in a medium bowl with the leek and carrots, and add the butter.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add to the lentils, stir well, and allow the lentils to cool until just warm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve. The longer the lentils sit, the more salt and pepper you'll want to add.
FRENCH LENTILS WITH CHARD
This hearty one-dish vegetarian meal is meant to appeal to families that include a mix of meat-eaters and vegetarians. A great pot of beans or lentils, even when you add to it a bunch of chard from the farmers' market, costs no more than $4 to make, and it feeds four to six people. This combo of lentils and greens is inspired by a classic preparation for the tasty French Le Puy green lentils that traditionally includes salt pork and/or bacon and sausage. For this vegetarian version, I don't insist on Le Puy lentils, although I highly recommend them. Meat eaters in the family might want to accompany this with sausage, cooked separately or with the lentils. I recommend topping the lentils with goat cheese or feta.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, one pot, main course
Time 1h10m
Yield Serves 4 to 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the lentils, 2 quarts water and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bouquet garni.
- Stir the chard into the simmering lentils. Cook another 10 minutes or so, until the lentils and greens are tender. The chard should be tender but still bright. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve, passing the cheese at the table for sprinkling. Alternatively, transfer to an oiled baking dish, top with rounds of goat cheese, crumbled feta or grated Parmesan, and heat through in a medium oven.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 323, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 56 grams, Fat 3 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 21 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 455 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams
QUICK BRAISED CHARD & LENTILS
Rainbow or Swiss chard is a nutritious and vibrant ingredient- here we team it with robust Puy lentils to create an interesting side dish
Provided by Barney Desmazery
Categories Side dish
Time 25m
Yield Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Cut the chard stalks into batons and roughly shred the leaves. Heat half the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the chard stalks, garlic, chilli and a splash of water. Cook over a low heat for 8-10 mins until softened, then add the leaves and cook until completely wilted.
- Prepare the lentils following pack instructions. Take the chard off the heat and stir through the lentils. Season, dress with more olive oil and the lemon juice, then serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 153 calories, Fat 7 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 16 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 1 grams sugar, Fiber 5 grams fiber, Protein 9 grams protein, Sodium 1.1 milligram of sodium
FRENCH LENTIL AND SWISS CHARD RISOTTO
Lentils add an interesting textural note to this hearty dish -- and combined with Arborio rice, they form a complete protein.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Pasta and Grains Rice Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add lentils, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain lentils, discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, wash Swiss chard, and remove the leaves from the stalks. Slice the leaves into very thin 2-inch strips, and cut the smaller stems into 1/4-inch dice. Discard the larger stems. Cook Swiss chard in a wok or a large skillet over high heat, tossing constantly, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Set aside in a colander.
- Cut leeks in half lengthwise, and slice into very thin semicircles. Place in a large bowl of cold water, and let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift out of the water, and drain in a colander. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil, reduce heat to low, and keep at a bare simmer.
- Heat olive oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat; add leeks, onions, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add rice and thyme leaves, and continue stirring until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the wine is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
- Raise the heat to medium high, add salt and pepper and about 1/2 cup of the simmering stock, and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time. Cook, stirring constantly, allowing each addition to be nearly absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy but still a little firm in the center, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in lentils, Swiss chard, and Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide the risotto among six plates, and garnish with the shredded radicchio. Serve immediately.
FRENCH LENTILS WITH GARLIC AND THYME
This is a classic French way to cook lentils, and it's very easy. Aromatics are sautéed and then simmered with French lentils, also known as Le Puy lentils, for 20 to 25 minutes. It is an easy side dish (shown here with cod baked with prosciutto), redolent of a Provencal feast.
Provided by Nigella Lawson
Categories weekday, side dish
Time 40m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add oil. When hot, add chopped vegetables and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add 6 cups water, lentils, thyme, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a fast simmer.
- Simmer lentils until they are tender and have absorbed most of the water, 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, drain any excess water after lentils have cooked. Serve immediately, or allow them to cool and reheat later.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 330, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 49 grams, Fat 8 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 18 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 259 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
SWISS CHARD WITH LENTILS AND FETA CHEESE
Make and share this Swiss Chard With Lentils and Feta Cheese recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Paris D
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 50m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the lentils, stir to combine, and add the chicken broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are just tender and the water has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, trim the ends from the chard stems and discard. Cut off the stems at the base of the leaves and slice the stems crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Place in a small bowl and set aside. Stack the leaves, cut them in half lengthwise, then coarsely chop into bite-sized pieces; set aside.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large frying or straight-sided pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the reserved chard stems, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped chard leaves, measured salt, and measured pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the red wine vinegar and reserved lentil mixture until evenly combined. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the feta and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 306.8, Fat 11.5, SaturatedFat 3.9, Cholesterol 16.7, Sodium 614.4, Carbohydrate 35.4, Fiber 16.5, Sugar 3.5, Protein 16.9
LENTILS WITH SAUSAGE AND SWISS CHARD
Categories Onion Sauté Dinner Sausage Lentil Carrot Fall Chard Bon Appétit Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added
Yield Makes 2 main-course servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Sauté sausage in large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain any excess fat from skillet. Add carrot, onion and garlic to skillet; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, bay leaf, fennel seeds and rosemary. Add 2 1/2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until lentils are almost tender, about 20 minutes.
- Place Swiss chard atop lentils; cover and cook until lentils are tender and chard is wilted and tender, adding more water if mixture is dry, about 7 minutes. Stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.
Tips:
- Use a variety of lentils. There are many different types of lentils available, each with its own unique flavor and texture. For this recipe, we recommend using French lentils, which are small and green and hold their shape well when cooked.
- Rinse the lentils before cooking. This will help to remove any dirt or debris.
- Use a flavorful broth. The broth you use to cook the lentils will add a lot of flavor to the dish. We recommend using a vegetable broth or a chicken broth.
- Add vegetables and herbs. Vegetables and herbs will add flavor and color to the dish. For this recipe, we recommend using carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. You can also add other vegetables, such as potatoes or turnips.
- Season the lentils well. Season the lentils with salt, pepper, and other spices to taste.
- Serve the lentils with a variety of toppings. There are many different ways to serve lentils. You can serve them with a simple salad, or you can add them to a soup or stew. You can also serve them with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.
Conclusion:
French lentils with chard is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The lentils are cooked in a flavorful broth with vegetables and herbs, and then served with a variety of toppings. This dish is a great source of protein and fiber, and it is also very affordable.
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