Puy Lentil and Aubergine Stew
Few things bring me more pleasure in the kitchen than taking a set of familiar ingredients and seeing them in a new light. It’s happened here with this stew and also the Puy lentil and aubergine dish on page 166 (of Simple by Ottolenghi). The two ingredient lists are very similar – the aubergine, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and oregano. Both dishes – though equally delicious – are completely different from one another. It’s one of the many reasons I love aubergines: they’re so versatile and can be cooked in such different ways to yield such different results. Serve the stew either as a hearty starter or a side, or else as a main, served with any grain you like.
Method
Based on 2 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Put 2/3rd's of the oil into a large, high-sided sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and a small pinch of salt and fry for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. Tip into a bowl, leaving the oil behind. Set aside.
Step 2
Place the aubergines and tomatoes in a bowl and season with a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper. Add the remaining oil to the same pan (don’t worry about wiping it clean) and, once very hot, add the aubergines and tomatoes. Fry for 10 minutes, on medium high, turning them often until the aubergine is soft and golden-brown and the tomatoes are beginning to blacken. Return the garlic and onion to the pan, then add the lentils, stock, wine, 450ml of water (if cooking 2 main course portions) and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still retain a bite.
Step 3
Serve warm, or at room temperature, with a dollop of crème fraîche, a drizzle of oil and chilli flakes and oregano on top.
- Ingredients
- Based on 2 servings
-
1 large Red Onion, finely chopped 1x Sainsbury's Red Onions Loose -
2 small Aubergines, cut into chunks, 5 x 2cm 2x Sainsbury's Aubergine -
200g Cherry Tomatoes 1x Sainsbury's Cherry Tomatoes 300g -
180g Dried Puy Lentils 1x Merchant Gourmet Sabarot Puy Lentils 300g -
500ml Vegetable Stock 1x Knorr Stock Pot Vegetable 4x28g -
3 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced 1x Sainsbury's Garlic -
100g Crème Fraîche 1x Sainsbury's British Crème Fraîche 300ml -
0.5 tsp Crushed Chilli 1x Sainsbury's Crushed Chillies 32g -
3 tbsp Olive Oil, plus a little extra to serve 1x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 500ml -
0.5 tbsp Picked Thyme Leaves 1x Sainsbury's Bunched Thyme 20g -
80ml Dry White Wine 1x Sainsbury's House Sauvignon Blanc (Small bottle) 18.7cl -
2 tsp Oregano Leaves, or parsley, picked 1x Sainsbury's Fresh Oregano 20g