Online:
Visits:
Stories:

By Simply Healthy Family
Contributor profile | More stories

Story Views
Now:
Last Hour:
Last 24 Hours:
Total:

Lentil Puttanesca with Sun Dried Tomato Polenta

Saturday, January 16, 2016 19:29

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.

(Before It's News)

This Lentil Puttanesca is an age old favorite and one that I have been making for years. It may seem complicated and overwhelming but is anything but that. When you want a meal to impress without spending hours in the kitchen, this is your dish.

B4INREMOTE-aHR0cDovLzMuYnAuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLy1lczZWWHZVVWJqUS9WcHJxOUk5djN5SS9BQUFBQUFBQUszay91Y0FobnQyLXNIOC9zNDAwL0xlbnRpbFB1dHRlbmVzY2FGRzEucG5n

“I received free samples of Progresso Cooking Stock mentioned in this post at no cost. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Progresso Cooking Stock and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

B4INREMOTE-aHR0cDovLzQuYnAuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLy00TjJVaHhPdFhocy9WcHJyS09EWmI3SS9BQUFBQUFBQUszNC9PNXBGUGJBd0xkUS9zNjQwL0xlbnRpbFB1dHRlbmVzY2ExLmpwZw==

Puttanesca sauce has many colorful Italian folk tales behind it. This salty tomato sauce is most often employed for pasta, although I’ve been using it as a base for these lentils for years. Originating in Naples, it is often made using ripe tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies, onions, garlic, and herbs, usually oregano and parsley but sometimes also basil. It is considered an easy sauce to make it’s name vaguely referring to “whore” meaning leaving nothing to waste or using everything in the kitchen. Whatever it’s meaning or origins, it is most definitely my favorite sauce and is very fragrant and spicy.

B4INREMOTE-aHR0cDovLzQuYnAuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLy1rTld4d3FGbEVOay9WcHJySkFRMGFFSS9BQUFBQUFBQUszcy9iVGhvVFdHUUYyWS9zNjQwL0xlbnRpbFB1dHRlbmVzY2EyLmpwZw==

Progresso’s new line of Premium Chicken and Vegetable Stocks are made with the freshest quality ingredients to give you that home made taste without the fuss. They are now available in most well stocked supermarkets.

SIMPLE, REAL INGREDIENTS:

Water, Celery, Onions, Carrots, Cabbage, Salt, Parsley, Leek, Sugar, Garlic, Thyme, Bay Leaves.

A Stock is a thin liquid made by simmering raw ingredients until all the taste has been retrieved from them, finalised by sieving to get a result that is a liquid alone.

B4INREMOTE-aHR0cDovLzQuYnAuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLy1Mb3RtdEtQWTcwdy9WcHI0Z05ZdnRnSS9BQUFBQUFBQUs0ay9VVVpTQUFCVkpScy9zNjQwL0xlbnRpbFB1dHRlbmVzY2EzLmpwZw==

Sure you could use water in place of vegetable stock but side by side comparison in a taste test undoubtedly proves that when you use a good quality stock your final dish just tastes better. I’ve always loved using chicken and vegetable broths to boost my meals or even just giving plain old rice or lentils that extra something.

B4INREMOTE-aHR0cDovLzQuYnAuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLy13bnhEUTZsSU9TWS9WcHJyTDJGN2JmSS9BQUFBQUFBQUs0RS9pQVdnQ1ZQQzhkUS9zNjQwL0xlbnRpbFB1dHRlbmVzY2E0LmpwZw==

This is a recipe that I have been developing for years. I’ve figured out the balance between spicy, salty, pungent and earthy to bring you this bowl of timeless comfort food. Click here to see this recipe on one of my earliest blog posts. *disclaimer, photos are not so pretty

TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES SERVES 6

For Polenta

2 cups unsweetened Almond Milk

1 cup Progresso Premium Vegetable Broth
1/2 t Kosher salt
1 cup Polenta (corn grits)
1-2 T butter
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

In large pot over high heat, bring almond milk, broth and salt to boil. Gradually stir in cornmeal. Whisk until clumps are gone, about 2 minutes. Add sun dried tomatoes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan. Pour into a buttered ramekins. Cook in preheated 375F oven for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and just set.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a butter knife, carefully scrape around the edges of the ramekin to loosen the polenta. Carefully, turn over onto the bowl of lentils. {If presenting, quickly and carefully turn the polenta over into your hand and then onto the lentils so that the right side is upright}.

For Lentil Puttanesca:

1 cup mixed lentils

1 cup Progresso vegetable broth

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

6 cloves minced garlic

2 (28-ounce) cans Roma plum tomatoes, chopped, with juice

1 cup pitted and sliced green olives (other olives will work as well)
2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons minced anchovy fillets (about 8 fillets)
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1-2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

Rinse lentils thoroughly under cool water. Preferably, soak lentils for 6-8 hours before cooking to reduce phytic acids.

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the anchovy filet’s and stir to combine with the onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and quickly stir to incorporate in with the onion mixture. Add the broth, tomatoes and the remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, stirring once or twice about 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning, to taste, cover and set aside.

Ladle lentil puttanesca into shallow bowls and top with the sun dried tomato polenta. Serve hot.