Ottolenghi’s Puy Lentils and Eggplant
France's famous green lentils du Puy come together with roasted eggplant, tomatoes and yogurt in this fabulous vegetarian main course adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's Ottolenghi Simple. It’s not as easy as it used to be to find real-deal appellation d’origine protégée lentilles du Puy in the United States; go for the nicest, small, deep-dark green French green lentils you can find; the lighter, larger greyish ones are fine, but not as distinctive.
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side.
Ingredients
4 eggplants, pricked a few times with a knife (about 2 pounds, 6 ounces/1.1 kg)
10 ounces/300 g cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup/160 g French green lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons/100 g Greek-style yogurt
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 475 degrees. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, turning them over halfway through, until the flesh is completely soft and slightly smoky. Remove from the oven and, once cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out into a colander. Set aside, in the sink or over a bowl, for 30 minutes, for any liquid to drain away. The skin can be discarded.
2. Place the cherry tomatoes on the same baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes, until slightly blackened, split and soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with plenty of water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add the lentils, decrease the heat to medium, and cook for 20 minutes, until soft but still retaining a bite. Drain, then set aside to dry out slightly.
4. Place the lentils in a large bowl and add the eggplant flesh, tomatoes, oil, lemon juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oregano leaves, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Mix well, then spoon in a large, shallow bowl. Top with the yogurt, swirling it through slightly so there are obvious streaks. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of oregano leaves over the top, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.
LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES? YOU MIGHT LIKE:
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More Ottolenghi Recipes:
RECIPE: Ottolenghi’s Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter and Black Garlic
RECIPE: Ottolenghi’s Chickpeas and Swiss Chard with Yogurt
RECIPE: Showstopper Rolled Pavlova with Peaches and Blackberries
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Ottolenghi's Puy Lentils and Eggplant
Ingredients
- 4 eggplants, pricked a few times with a knife (about 2 pounds, 6 ounces/1.1 kg)
- 10 ounces/300 g cherry tomatoes
- 3/4 cup/160 g French green lentils
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons/100 g Greek-style yogurt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 475 degrees. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, turning them over halfway through, until the flesh is completely soft and slightly smoky. Remove from the oven and, once cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out into a colander. Set aside, in the sink or over a bowl, for 30 minutes, for any liquid to drain away. The skin can be discarded.
- Place the cherry tomatoes on the same baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes, until slightly blackened, split and soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with plenty of water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add the lentils, decrease the heat to medium, and cook for 20 minutes, until soft but still retaining a bite. Drain, then set aside to dry out slightly.
- Place the lentils in a large bowl and add the eggplant flesh, tomatoes, oil, lemon juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oregano leaves, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Mix well, then spoon in a large, shallow bowl. Top with the yogurt, swirling it through slightly so there are obvious streaks. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of oregano leaves over the top, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.
