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Fennel + Lentils & Lemon
Serves 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes
Simple Mediterranean flavors for an elegant dish you can make any day of the. week. Add some fresh bright tomatoes and basil to finish the dish during the summer time.
Ingredients
- 2 fennel bulbs – 1 sliced relatively finely, 1 cut into wedges (about 6 depending on the size of the bulb, any fronds from both washed and roughly chopped
- 2 cups cooked lentils
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds (if you don’t have seed and don’t plan to use later you can skip)
- 1 lemon
- Few sprigs thyme
- A good handful of lacinato kale, pulled from stem and roughly torn
- Good knob of cold butter
- Parmesan to finish
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Chef Tips
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat an oven to 375F. Caramelize the fennel wedges in a few tablespoons of olive oil on both sides, turn down the heat, add butter & thyme and place in the oven until tender. About 15 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile sweat the sliced fennel in olive oil over a medium heat. Allow the fennel to gently caramelize, stirring occasionally. When softened stir in the fennel seeds and cook out for 4-5 mins. Stir in the lentils, juice and zest of the lemon, half a cup of water and kale. Stir over a medium heat until the kale has wilted and the pan is fairly dry. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter fairly vigorously until melted. Season to taste
Step 3
Spoon the lentil mix onto a plate, top with the fennel wedges and Parmesan, if you like.