A true vegetarian dish, this one is based on a recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. I topped my version with a few pieces of Parmesan cheese. The vegetable stock from the previous post was instrumental in giving this dish a really great depth of flavor. On these bitterly cold winter days, this dish will soothe your soul and your tummy.
1 cup dried lentils, washed and picked over
1 bay leaf
Several sprigs of fresh thyme or a few pinches of dried
1 carrot, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 celery rib, cut into 1/2 inch dice
8 cups vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped (I used cipollini onions)
1 t. minced garlic
1/2 cup Arborio rice
10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup chopped tomatoes
Put the lentils, bay leaf, thyme, carrot, celery and stock in a medium soup or stock pot.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes.
Aren't these cipollini onions pretty?
Then add the garlic and let cook for about a minute and remove from heat.
When the lentils are tender, fish out the bay leaf and thyme sprigs and stir the onion mixture into the soup and add the tomatoes.
Stir in rice and spinach and let cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a grating of Parmesan cheese.
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