Lentils Wedded to Marinara Sauce

With the Planned-Overs Make Comforting Soups

I’m excited to post this recipe I’ve been making for over a quarter century. If you are familiar with the Northern Italian bolognese sauce—a thick sauce of ground meats—you will find parallel grandeur in this vegetarian version.

Lentils offer a meaty-peppery bean that truly satisfies. I love them as they require no soaking time.

Although the ingredient list looks formative, the dish comes together quickly. Lentica freezes well.

SERVES 4-5

Note: You can use pre-cooked lentils instead of cooking them here. Skip Steps 3-5 and add about 2 cups of cooked lentils to the pot at Step 6.

INGREDIENTS: Instead of celery try fennel bulb; I love its licorice undertones

• pasta – 1 LB, rigatoni, penne, or shells
• olive oil – 2 TBS
• onion – 1 medium, thinly sliced
• garlic – 2 tsp, [2 cloves], chopped
• celery – 2 ribs, [or fennel bulb], thin slices
• mushrooms – 2 cups, sliced
• spinach, baby – 2 cups, packed
• anise seed – 2 tsp, or fennel seed, ground
• red pepper flakes – 1/2 tsp or to taste
• salt – 1 tsp
• pepper – 1/2 tsp
• red wine* – 1/2 cup, [the recipe was developed with “hearty burgundy”]
• lentils – 2 cups, rinsed
• water – to cover beans by 2 inches
• marinara sauce – 2 cups, [I use prepared]
• parsley – 1/2 cup, chopped [or basil]
• Parmesan cheese – 1/2 cup; plus more to serve at table

* I also enjoy these fortified wines – Marsala, Madeira, or Sherry, use only 1/4 cup

This go-around I spun it Puttanesca style by adding olives, red peppers, capers, and a tsp. anchovy paste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Note: I tried pressure cooking the lentils and found they became too mushy.

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions making sure to use heavily salted water to season the pasta
2. In a medium-sized pot sauté the onion, garlic, and celery for a few minutes in the olive oil, then add in the mushrooms, and salt—cook a few minutes longer
3. Add the rinsed lentils and enough water to cover the beans by 2-inches
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer partially covered until beans are tender, about 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. When lentils are tender, drain and reserve the cooking liquid, and one cup of beans. This will be used for a planned-over soup : Try Curry Lentil Soup [BELOW] or Lentil Balsamic Soup Recipe
6. Add the marinara sauce, spinach, wine, anise seed, red pepper flakes, and pepper, then cook on low for about 10 minutes
7. Option 1: Add the al dente pasta and continue to cook to heat through. Alternately, ladle the sauce over hot pasta just before serving
8. Off heat, add the parmesan, adjust the seasoning, then top with parsley

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I discovered that vegan meatballs aka: falafels perfectly compliment this dish [below]

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PLANNED-OVER SOUP:

This is the essence of my Renewal Cooking classes. Take something cooked and renew it. My notes show I crafted this soup in 2001

Curry Lentil Soup with Romaine

• From step 5 to a pot add the 1/2 cup of reserved cooked lentils and the drained cooking water [aka pot liquor]

• Add a handful of chopped romaine lettuce leaves, sliced button mushrooms, curry powder, cumin powder, minced rosemary, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes or so until the mushrooms are soft. Thin the soup with vegetable stock or water to desired consistency.

• Should you have a sweet vegetable, like cooked winter squash, or yams, dice them and add to the soup along with a tsp of balsamic vinegar.
• Serve with parmesan

© 2021 Recipes by B. Hettig