Preparation time
less than 30 mins
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour
30 mins to 1 hour
Serves
Serves 4
Serves 4
This lentil stew is so comforting – the warm spices are given a delicious lift by the mouth-watering, sweet caramelised onions.
By Nigel Slater
From Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking
Ingredients
- a good handful, chopped unsmoked bacon or pancetta
- 4 medium sized onions
- 3 small carrots
- ½ tsp mild paprika
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ nutmeg, for grating
- 300g/10oz Puy lentils
- 500ml/1pint stock
- a handful parsley
- knob of butter
- 100g/4oz crème fraîche
Method
- Cook the bacon or pancetta in a deep pan over a moderate heat to let the fat slowly ooze out . Roughly chop two of the onions and add them to the pan. Cut the carrots into chunks and add to the pan. Cover and let it steam for a few minutes. Add the paprika, cinnamon, then grate in ½ of the nutmeg. Add the lentils, stock and 500ml water, cover and leave for 30 minutes until the lentils have softened.
- While that is slowly cooking, slice the remaining two onions and, in another pan, cook them very slowly in butter until golden brown. Finish with a grate of nutmeg.
- The last thing to add to the lentils is a handful of chopped parsley. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche and pile the caramelised onions on top.