Lentils with Roasted Broccoli and Lemony Bread Crumbs from @MysteryMacRae

 

This is one of those dishes we found ourselves saying nothing about except for “MMmm-mmmmm. Mmm.” It’s yet another recipe adapted from The Complete Plant-based Cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen, which is yet another cookbook we’ve used until it’s become loose leaf.

 

Lentils with Roasted Broccoli and Lemony Bread Crumbs

Adapted from The Complete Plant-based Cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen

Serves 4 to 6

 

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, chopped fine

¾ teaspoon salt, divided

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon dried thyme

12 ounces green lentils

3 ¾ cups water

½ cup panko bread crumbs

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks peeled and sliced lengthwise into ½-inch thick planks

 

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in lentils and water and bring to simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just tender, about 25 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium and cook until lentils are completely tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover to keep warm, and set aside.

While lentils cook, preheat oven to 450℉. Toss broccoli with 3 tablespoons olive oil and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Spread broccoli, in a single layer, on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast in oven until florets are browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

While broccoli roasts, combine panko and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in 8-inch skillet, stirring to coat. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until light golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl and stir in lemon zest. Wipe skillet clean with paper towel. Cook balsamic vinegar in now-empty skillet, scraping bottom of skillet with rubber spatula, until vinegar is thickened and reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes.

Divide lentils between individual serving bowls. Top with broccoli. Sprinkle with panko mixture. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. 

 

 Serve and enjoy!

The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch, she writes books for Annie’s Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest and connect with her on Twitter  or Instagram.