SAVORY WAY: Stewed Lentils With Celery Root And Walnut Oil

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Stewed Lentils With Celery Root And Walnut Oil

 

Recipe By : The Savory Way by Deborah Madison, page 264

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Beans And Legumes Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Vegetables Madison: Savory Way

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 1/4 cups lentils

1 tablespoon light olive oil

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1/3 cup finely diced carrot

1/4 cup finely diced celery

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove -- minced

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/2 small celery root -- peeled

and cut into small cubes

salt

1 quart water

***TO FINISH***

1 tablespoon walnut oil -- or more to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

plenty of coarsely ground pepper

 

Makes 4 servings

 

Lentils aren't a particularly showy food, but they have an earthy, reliable

taste that's good to return to every now and then. Celery root, or

celeriac, is seasonal during the same months one would be inclined to cook

lentils, and the two go well together. Pressed in the fall, even the

walnut oil is somewhat seasonal. Its heavy fragrance and high viscosity

also seem best enjoyed in dry colder months of the year.

 

Rinse the lentils, drain them, and set them aside. Heat the olive oil in a

soup pot; then add the onion, half the carrots, the celery, bay leaf, and

garlic. Fry lightly over medium heat, taking care not to brown the garlic,

for 4 to 5 minutes; then add the drained lentils, parsley, celery root, and

season with salt. Add the water and bring it to a boil; then simmer until

the lentils are tender, about 35 minutes. Add the rest of the carrots

during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

 

If there is a lot of excess water left, drain it off and save it to use in

a soup or sauce. Return the lentils to the heat and add the walnut oil,

parsley, and vinegar. Check the seasonings and finish with plenty of

coarsely ground pepper.

 

For those who haven't used celery root before its gnarled, dirt-encrusted

appearance may look rather daunting. It's not hard to deal with,

though. First rinse it off; then peel it as you would an orange: slice off

the top and bottom and then cut down the sides with a sawing motion,

getting just under the skin. Thinly slice it; then cut the slices into

strips, and the strips into cubes. Celery root will brown when exposed to

the air, so if it's to be held for more than 5 or 10 minutes, put it in

some water acidulated with lemon juice until needed. If you're using just

part of the root, cut off what you need and leave the rest with its skin on

and wrap it tightly in plastic.

 

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