Serves 4  |  Prep Time 15 minutes  |  Cook Time 1½ hours

These French lentils make a hearty vegetarian dinner and are simple, yet utterly delicious. If you need an extra boost of greens stir in a cup of baby spinach at the end of cooking or serve with a handful of microgreens as garnish.

Recipes, photos & styling Emma Boyd

 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, quartered, finely sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon
• 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 3 tsp coriander
• 3 tsp cumin
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1¾ cups/350 g French green lentils
• 1.75 l vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp crème fraîche, plus extra for serving
• parsley, chopped to garnish

 

METHOD
In a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil over a medium-high heat then add in the onions and cook for 15–20 minutes or until caramelised and starting to catch on the bottom of the pot. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pot then the diced carrots, cooking for 5 minutes or so before adding in the garlic, preserved lemon and rosemary along with 2 tsp of the coriander, cumin and cinnamon and ½ tsp of the ginger. Cook for 2 minutes before adding in the lentils and stock.

Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, put on the lid and cook for 1 hour. After an hour remove the lid, add the onions back in and continue to cook for a further half hour or until the lentils are cooked through. Once cooked, stir in the remaining spices and the crème fraîche, then serve garnished with extra crème fraîche and parsley.