BAKED LENTILS WITH GOAT CHEESE

Baked Lentils With Goat Cheese image

The French green Le Puy lentils are smaller and firmer than brown lentils, but have the same type of earthy flavor. They lend themselves to dishes where you want the lentils to stay intact like salads and sides. "Beluga lentils" will also work for this salad.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories weekday, salads and dressings

Time 1h

Yield Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish salad, 8 as a side

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 pound green or beluga lentils about 2 1/4 cups, washed and picked over
1 medium onion, cut in half and peeled
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
Salt, preferably kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley, or a mixture of parsley and chives
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut in rounds
1/4 cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cooking liquid from the lentils
Salt, preferably kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Steps:

Place the lentils in a large saucepan or soup pot with the halved onion, the garlic cloves, and the bay leaf. Add enough water to cover by 1 1/2 inches. Bring to a simmer, add 1 teaspoon salt, cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender all the way through but intact. Set a strainer over a bowl and drain the lentils. Remove the onion halves, bay leaf, and garlic and discard. Return the liquid to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to 1/2 cup.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Whisk together the vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and cooking liquid from the lentils. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with the lentils. Stir in the parsley (or parsley and chives), place in a baking dish and top with the rounds of goat cheese. Heat through for 15 minutes, until the goat cheese has softened, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 413, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 51 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 9 grams, Protein 23 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 371 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams