Lentils with Oven-dried Tomatoes and Gorgonzola

In our house, we love lentils thanks to our time in Asia and consuming with much pleasure the Indian dish – dhal.   I could eat dhal until the cows come home!  Lentils are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. They also provide slow-burning complex carbohydrates and can increase your energy by replenishing your iron. They come in a variety of colors that range from yellow to red-orange to green, brown and black.  For this recipe, use green or brown lentils as yellow, orange or red lentils tend to turn mushy and are more suited for soups or sauces.  One more thing to remember and that is to spread dry lentils on a counter top to separate any bits of dirt or tiny rocks…yes, you can sometimes get this!  There’s nothing worse than chowing down on a spoonful of lentils when you hear a crunching sound.  It happened to yours truly with a tiny rock – I thought a filling fell out!  Measure the amount of lentils for the dish and make sure to rinse in cold water before adding to the pot.

source: www.mindbodygreen.com

Serves 4
adapted by Plenty

for the oven-dried tomatoes:
5 plum tomatoes
8 thyme sprigs 
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon good-quality red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/3 cups lentils (green or brown)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons chopped chives
4 tablespoons chopped dill
3 ounces mild Gorgonzola, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Quarter the tomatoes vertically and place skin-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the thyme sprigs on top of them. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with some salt. Roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until semi-dried. Discard the thyme and allow to cool down slightly.

Add red onion in a medium bowl along with red wine vinegar and sprinkle with sea salt. Stir, then leave for a few minutes to allow the onion soften a bit.

Place lentils in a pot of boiling water (the water should come 1 1/4 inches above the lentils) and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain well in a sieve and, while still warm, add to the sliced onion. Also add the olive oil, garlic and some black pepper. Stir to mix and leave aside to cool down. Once cool, add the herbs and gently mix together. Season to taste.

To serve, place lentil mixture on a large plate or bowl, integrating the Gorgonzola and tomatoes as you like.  Finish off by drizzling a bit more olive oil.

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  Gorgonzola, with its mild and slightly sweet creamy-rich texture, helps bring all the flavors of this dish together.  I let the lentils cool to room temperature before serving which allowed the ingredients to intensify.   Enjoy!

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