This week I made some lentil ragu and served it up with large, almost crostini-like slices of bread to help soak up the sauce. This is another one of my favorite dishes to make during autumn and winter.

It's warming, uses cheap ingredients, and it is nourishing too. It's also great for vegetarians, and because of the protein content in the lentils, it's filling too.

From French Lentils and Roast Chicken to a Full Meal

This recipe came from the classic French lentil dish, which is usually served along with a roast chicken leg or even duck legs. Since I don't always have them, I like to serve it up with some good crispy bread to help mop up the sauce.

The dish is sometimes served as a side dish, but doing it this way, I use it as a complete meal. I made this for myself, but I've also made it for friends and family. It always goes down well.

I've been making it now for around 2 years, probably.

I think the original recipe used Puy lentils, but I just use standard green lentils as they're a lot easier to find and generally cheaper. I've made this a bit more to my own tastes using slightly different herbs, and I also like to add a little cream to mine to enrich the dish overall.

Mirepoix, Green Lentils and a Splash of Cream

This recipe is a great way to use up pantry staples. It starts off being built around a classic mirepoix. I like to use carrot, onion, and celery, finely diced.

You can even add garlic if you want to, and then I also like to use rosemary and thyme and good chicken stock. Sometimes I will use beef stock.

The classic recipe uses Puy lentils, but I just use standard green lentils. You can change out the lentils as long as it's one that will retain its shape as it cooks. This is a ragu.

You don't want it to turn into lentil soup.

You can even leave out the cream if you want to. I just add that as I like to make the sauce a little bit richer. You can also substitute the fresh herbs for dried herbs.

Tomato paste is also used to create some rich umami in the sauce. If you don't have it, other tomato varieties, such as a little passata or even chopped tomatoes, will work, but you'll probably have to cook the lentils for a little bit longer to allow everything to cook down and become cohesive.

Slow-Softened Veg and Garlic-Rubbed Sourdough Crostini

Making this is pretty straightforward. The first step is to finely chop all your mirepoix vegetables and then cook them slowly over a gentle heat until they soften and become slightly sweet. That will give you a lot of flavor.

Once the vegetables are ready, you then have to cook out the tomato paste and then add the stock and the lentils. This is the longest part as the lentils can take at least 30 minutes to cook. I use dried lentils, but you could also use canned, cooked lentils, which would cut the cooking time down significantly.

This would also mean that you'd have to use less stock, so you would need to make some adjustments.

I know that the final meal is ready when the lentils are softened but still have a little bit of bite. That is when I can go and make my crispy crostini. I just use my favorite sourdough or any other favorite bread and either gently brush oil on both sides or use a little bit of oil in a pan and gently fry them until golden.

I then like to rub some garlic over this and finish them off with a little Maldon sea salt.

Why Red Lentils Turn Into Soup

My tips for this recipe are:
<ul>
<li>Make sure that you choose good, sturdy lentils, something that will keep its shape as it cooks.
<li>Do not try this with red lentils; otherwise, you will just end up with a red lentil soup.
<li>If you don't have green lentils, you could use Puy lentils or any other firmer lentil variety.</li>
<li>Using pre-cooked canned lentils definitely makes this recipe quicker and easier if you are looking to get dinner on the table quickly.</li>
<li>If you're making it for a lot of people, I'd be tempted to use the slow cooker, which would allow you to let it simmer all day and develop really good flavor.</li>
<li>One of the big things for getting plenty of flavor in this dish is using a good-quality stock.</li>
<li>A lot of pre-made stocks out there can have a lot of salt, so be careful when seasoning.</li>
</ul>

Mashed Potato, Polenta and the Lentil Skeptics

I made this recipe for myself and also my family. I served it up with my version of a more substantial crostini, but I've also served it up with mashed potato, or polenta works well too.

This is quite a good recipe for people who think that a lentil-based dish sounds a bit boring or plain, as it's actually delicious and filled with umami flavors. This one's a favorite for me and anybody I make it for.

Firm Lentils and a Forgiving Meal Prep Dinner

I think the most important takeaway from this recipe is to use a firm variety of lentil that will withstand the long cooking process and not turn to mush.

It's quite a good recipe to make if you're new to cooking, as you learn some of the fundamentals, such as finely chopping and softening your mirepoix to build a base of flavor. It's also a great way to teach you how to make something delicious that uses pantry ingredients, and that is good for your budget too.

You can also use this recipe as a great way for meal prepping: make a large batch of it and have dinner made for the rest of the week. It's forgiving and great for beginners.