Name: Lentils in Red Wine
Yield: Makes 2 or 3 servings as a main dish or 4 servings as a side dish
Ingredients: 1 cup lentils; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon sun-dried tomato purée or tomato paste; ¼ cup chopped parsley; pinch each of dried thyme and dried marjoram; 2 cups hearty red wine, such as Beaujolais, gamay, or red “jug” wine; salt; red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar; 1½ cups water; 2 garlic cloves, chopped or sliced; 1 small onion, finely diced; 2 bay leaves; grilled bread (optional); 1 to 2 tablespoons additional butter; freshly ground pepper

Preparation info

Makes
2 or 3
servings as a main dish

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Savory Way

By Deborah Madison

Published 1990

About

Cooking lentils in wine transforms their taste, making them rich and a little tangy. They can be served alongside other foods or as a simple main dish, with thin slices of grilled or toasted bread, a crisp, refreshing salad, or a simply cooked vegetable. Brown lentils are most commonly available, but the tiny slate-green ones from France, which hold their shape so beautifully, would make this rustic dish nearly elegant.