The “Deviled” is in these Simple Ingredients to Produce a Main Course Dish of Intriguing Depth

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“Deviled” in cooking parlance means—chopped fine and highly seasoned, as in “deviled eggs.” This bean version is an elegant dish using just peasant ingredients to yield a gourmet mini-cookbook of recipes.

MAIN RECIPE:  Serves 6-8

• olive oil, 1 TBS
• onion, 1 cup, minced
• green lentils, 2 cup
• water, 8 cups
• carrots, 2 cups, thinly sliced
• Worcestershire sauce, 1 TBS, [or miso paste]
• dried thyme, 1 tsp, (or 1 TBS fresh)
• bay leaf, 1
• dijon style mustard, 1/3 cup
• spinach, fresh, 2 cups, packed
• parsley, fresh, 3/4 cup, chopped
• pepper, 1 tsp
• salt, 1-1/2 tsp
• Parmesan cheese, 1 cup, grated
• bread crumbs, fresh, 3 TBS (or dried)
• olive oil, 2 TBS, drizzle over gratin mixture

ALTERNATE TOPPING: Skip the cheese and bread crumbs and top with slivered almonds.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prep the vegetables.
2. Sauté onion in the oil in a 3 qt. bean pot for 5 minutes.
3. Add the thyme, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, lentils, carrots, salt, pepper, and water. 
4. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
6. When the lentils are done, remove the bay leaf.
7. Spoon lentil mixture into a sieve and allow most of the liquid to drain and reserve the liquid for the Deviled Lentil Soup (recipe below).
8. Place the drained bean mixture into a 3-quart gratin dish or casserole. Stir in the spinach, mustard and finally the parsley.
9. Combine cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle over lentils.
10. Drizzle remaining oil over the mixture and bake in the lower part of the oven until top is crisp and brown in spots, about 15-20 minutes.

Pressure cooking instructions:

Follow directions using a pressure cooker. At Step 4 Lock down the lid and over high heat bring up to full pressure. Cook for 8 minutes, then quick-release and open the lid, careful to avoid the steam as you lift the lid. Then continue at Step 5.

PLANNED-OVERS:

Deviled Lentil Tapenade

• planned-over deviled lentils, 1 cup
• Parmesan cheese, 2 TBS
• capers, 2 tsp or chopped olives
• basil, fresh, 1 TBS, chopped

Spread mixture onto toast spears or crackers

Deviled Lentils Hash & Eggs

Reheat the lentils and place on fried potatoes, or toast points and top with poached eggs

Deviled Lentil Pasta

Thin Deviled Lentils with pasta sauce, then heat and serve over pasta

Deviled Lentils & Grain Casserole

In a small casserole or oven-safe bowl, lay down 2 cups of cooked grains and top generously with Deviled Lentil planned-overs. Add 1/4 cup of dry wine, Marsala, or Madeira and cover. Cover and bake in 350º oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.

Deviled Lentil Soup

Heat the reserved cooking liquid from the original recipe with a cup or more of planned-over Deviled Lentils, and add a 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes with liquid. Serve with parmesan to pass.

© 2019, Bill Hettig