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Sack Lunch: Beluga Lentils and Broccoli Rabe

Posted by Robin Bellinger, May 19, 2008 at 1:00 PM

Chefs often say that diners choose entrées based on sides: for instance, anything paired with mashed potatoes moves faster than it otherwise would. At my house, though, I don’t pay much attention to the side dishes, maybe because there’s only one thing on the menu every night. Usually I’m rushing to steam broccoli or make a pot of rice to round out a meal.

Side dishes were not an afterthought, however, last week when I made Suzanne Goin’s brisket from Sunday Suppers at Lucques. As always this book reminded me that you can make truly amazing food in a home kitchen with the right inspiration and instructions. The brisket’s companions, beluga lentils and sautéed broccoli rabe, made an excellent lunch for the rest of the week: a fancified version of my sack-lunch standby beans and greens. With a slice of crusty bread and a piece of cheese, these leftovers, which are good either heated or at room temperature, would make one of the nicest lunches I can imagine.

About the author: Robin Bellinger recently escaped a career in book publishing, which was cutting into her cooking time. Now she's a freelance editor and can bake bread on Tuesday afternoon if she feels like it. She lives in Midtown Manhattan with her husband and blogs about cooking and crafting at home*economics.

Beluga Lentils

- serves 6 as a side dish or 4 for lunch -

I didn’t want to open a bottle of wine to use only 1/4 cup and so substituted 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. The taste was different, I’m sure, but still very good.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups beluga lentils
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced white onion
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 chile de árbol
1/4 cup red wine
3 sprigs basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Rinse the lentils and pick through them to remove any small stones.

2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait a minute. Add the onion, thyme, chile, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook the onion, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring to coat the lentils in the oil and vegetables. Reduce the heat to low and add the wine. Quickly add 6 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat and simmer 25-30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

4. Strain the lentils over a bowl. Toss them with the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, the basil sprigs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid. (Add more of the liquid if the lentils seem dry.) Taste for seasoning.

Sautéed Rapini with Garlic and Chile

- serves 6 as a side dish or 4 for lunch -

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds rapini, ends trimmed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 chile de árbol, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

2. Blanch the rapini a couple of minutes in the rapidly boiling water, until just tender and al dente. Drain. Cool on a platter or baking sheet.

3. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil and add the garlic, shallots, thyme, and chile. Cook a few minutes, until the shallots are translucent. Add the rapini and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir well, coating the rapini with the other ingredients and bathing it in the oil. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup oil over the rapini and sauté 2 minutes, tossing often. Sprinkle another teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper over the rapini, toss, and taste for seasoning.

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Tags: broccoli rabe, lentils, mains, sack lunch, sides, vegetarian

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