Fall is upon us. Temps in the 50’s during the day and down the the low 40’s at night and that calls for comfort food and red wine. It’s even better when it’s both of those combined into one dish. Hearty lentils cooked in a big bold red. Along with those cooler temps comes layers, sweaters, scarves and boots. And I could wear boots every single day. I LOVE them. Especially with dresses, skirts, leggings and skinny jeans. Anything from booties to mid height to tall boots. I love them all. Something about wearing fall fashion with boots, a big glass of red wine and hearty dish just makes me happy.
My pick for The Secret Recipe Club this month was Chit Chat Chomp, Leigh is a lover of all things French (who isn’t!) and focuses on fresh, healthy foods. I spent so much time reading through her recipes and finally settled on Lentils in Red Wine. Pretty easy to make, hearty and perfect on a chilly fall evening. I added some fresh beans to amp up the vegetable power even more but this would be perfect without it. I lover her philosophy on food, she was diagnosed with a thyroid condition and I love that she is focusing on real food, specifically protein and fat to help her feel better. Best way to feel like yourself again, eat real foods!
This is delicious served with a big glass of red wine (could be the same red wine you cooked with, remember to actually cook with a wine you would drink) and a big hunk of crusty bread. I had some sourdough slices with a bit of butter and this dish and it was a perfect way to wind down from a crazy day. I also love that it makes enough for a few days of leftovers. Scott was working late one evening so it was just me, the dogs and Henry the pig. I had a big bowl of this and more than enough leftover to set some aside for Scott and for 2 lunches.
- 1 ½ cups green lentils
- 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
- 2 ounces pancetta, diced into small pieces
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup fresh green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- In a large saucepan, cover the lentils with 4 ½ cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until tender, 40 minutes. Drain.
- Heat the ghee or coconut oil in a dutch oven or large skillet and add the red onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the lentils and the wine and simmer until the wine has been almost absorbed, about 5 minutes.
- Add the beans and cook until heated through.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve warm
