Lentils With Tarragon Shallots And Beets Food

LENTILS WITH TARRAGON, SHALLOTS, AND BEETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss beets with 2 tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet; pour 1/4 cup water into pan. Cover with foil; roast until beets are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Meanwhile, combine lentils, garlic, and bay leaves in a 6-quart saucepan; add enough cold water to cover by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender but not mushy, 10 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and cook about 5 minutes more. Drain in a colander; let cool.
• Make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine shallot, mustard, and vinegar; let stand 15 minutes. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/4 cup oil in a steady stream.
• Transfer lentils to a large serving bowl. Pour vinaigrette over lentils, and add tarragon; toss well to combine. Toss in beets. Season with salt and pepper, and serve, or cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator up to 4 hours; bring to room temperature before serving.

LENTIL SALAD WITH BEETS AND BACON

Steps:

• Chop about two-thirds of the bacon into 1/4-inch pieces; set aside. Wrap the thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and garlic in a piece of cheesecloth; tie closed with kitchen twine. Combine the cheesecloth bundle, the remaining slab bacon, the lentils and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, discarding the cheesecloth bundle and bacon; let cool.
• Meanwhile, cook the chopped bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and just crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels; set aside.
• Make the dressing: Whisk the mustard and vinegar in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Toss the beets with about 1 tablespoon of the dressing in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Assemble the salad: Add the lettuce, endive, shallot, parsley, chives and the prepared lentils and bacon to the bowl with the dressing; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and toss. Top each serving with some beets.

ROASTED BEETS WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• Roast, peel, and dice beets, then toss them with extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and coarse salt. Serve in endive leaves, garnished with fresh tarragon.

AROMATIC LENTILS AND SAUTEED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Mushrooms:
• Put the oil and butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the crimini mushrooms, garlic, and thyme, saute until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, toss and remove from heat. Reserve the mushrooms to add to the cooked lentils.
• Lentils:
• Put the lentils, shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and water in a pot, bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer, cook until lentils are tender.
• Remove the bay leaves, garlic, and shallots, and set aside. Strain the lentils and put in a large bowl.
• Puree the garlic and shallots, and add back to the lentils and season with salt, and pepper. Add the sauteed mushrooms and diced tomatoes to the lentils. Toss and garnish with chives.

GREEN LENTILS WITH ROASTED BEETS AND PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 1 beet for garnish and cut the remaining 4 into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss the cubes with a teaspoon of oil, season with salt and pepper and bake 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, place the lentils, carrot, onion, bay leaf, parsley, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small pot and add water to cover the lentils by about 3/4 of an inch. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the herbs, drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
• To make the vinaigrette, combine the lemon juice, zest, shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with pepper and more salt if necessary.
• To assemble the salad, quarter the lemon and scrape out the soft pulp. Finely chop the pulp and stir 2 teaspoons into the vinaigrette. Finely chop the lemon skin and add it, along with the vinaigrette, roasted beets, parsley and chopped mint, to the lentils. Toss and serve on a platter. Grate the reserved beet and use it for garnish with mint sprigs.

RED LENTIL SALAD WITH FETA AND BEETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Wrap the beets in foil and roast them for about 45 minutes, or until tender; let cool. Peel the beets and cut them into wedges.
• In a medium skillet, heat the grapeseed oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cumin and fennel seeds and cook just until fragrant. Remove from the heat and whisk in the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
• Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the lentils and cook just until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the lentils and transfer to a bowl. Toss the lentils with half of the vinaigrette and let cool. Stir in the parsley.
• Toss the arugula and beets with the remaining vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Mound the salad on dinner plates and spoon the lentils on top. Garnish with the feta and serve.

GREEN BEANS WITH SHALLOTS & TARRAGON

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a saucepan.
• Add salt and beans.
• Bring to boil and simmer 8 to 10 minutes.
• Beans should be tender but crisp, drain.
• Return beans to saucepan and add butter and shallots.
• Cook briefly but do not brown.
• Add tarragon, salt and pepper.
• Saute briefly and serve.

STEAMED BEETS WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• Peel beets and halve lengthwise.
• Slice beets crosswise 1/8 inch thick and steam on a rack set over boiling water, covered, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Toss with remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste until butter is melted.

GREEN BEANS WITH SHALLOTS, HAZELNUTS, AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, tossing halfway through, until skins are splitting and nuts are fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to steam and cool, then rub the nuts with a kitchen towel to remove their skins. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside.
• In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add shallots and cook, tossing, until lightly golden and softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium, and add 1/2 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, salt, and pepper to the same pan. Add the haricots verts and toss to coat. Cover pan and cook, tossing occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove cover, raise heat to high and cook until the water evaporates and the beans are glazed, about 3 minutes more. Toss green beans with tarragon, lemon zest, hazelnuts, and sautéed shallots. Serve immediately.