Braised Lentils With Olive Rouille

Us Greeks commonly use lentils to make an oft' enjoyed soup called Fakkes. Yes, it sounds like you're swearing so, practice saying it...Fakk-es...Fakk-es...Fakk-es. Okay, lesson over.

When I recently met up with Judy of No fear Entertaining, I had a braised lamb shank that sat on a bed of braised lentils and I had a craving for it again.

One of my recent food book buys was "Olives, Cooking With Olives and Their Oils", by Ford Rogers. If anyone wants a primer on olives, picking, curing and of course, cooking with them - then this book's for you. It's inexpensive and it actually has some decent recipes , like the one I'm about to show you now.

It's a simple braised lentil dish, good warm or room temperature and it made a fine bed for my red snapper of yesterday.

The process is simple, lots of flavour gets coaxed out of the lentils but what makes this a standout is the accompanying red sauce called a Rouille.

A Rouille is a spicy French paste that's usually made to accompany a fish but contains no olives. This version provides the flavour and depth and it was reminiscent of a Romesco sauce.

If you're looking for a healthy, flavourful and guilt-free side dish, try these braised lentils and don't forget the Rouille!

Braised Lentils With Olive Rouille

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
2 cups of dried lentils, rinsed and drained
4 cups of chicken (vegetable) broth
1 bay leaf
a few sprigs of fresh oregano
a few springs of parsley
salt and pepper to taste

For the Rouille
2 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar
2/3 cup of soft bread crumbs
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/2 cup of pitted green olives
2 red chili peppers
1 small roasted red pepper
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
splash of balsamic vinegar

1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat and then add your shallots, carrots and celery until soft and translucent (about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the lentils, herbs and broth and bring to a boil. Now cover and reduce to simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Discard the herbs and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.
3. While the lentils are cooking, make the rouille by combining the all the ingredients in a food processor except for the olive oil.
4. Process to chop everything and scrape down the sides to ensure all the ingredients get blended well. With the machine running, pour in the oil in a slow & steady stream until it's all incorporated and smooth.
5. Serve lentils with a small dollop of rouille on each serving.
   

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