Blue Moon Farm

A treat from PLENTY’s ‘Mighty Eggplant’ chapter (Get this book!)

Lentils with broiled eggplant

• 2 medium eggplants
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup small dark lentils (or the small green french ones from the co-op work great)
• 3 carrots
• 2 celery stalks (I substituted chard)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs thyme
• small white or half onion
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 tsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbs each of chopped parsley and cilantro and dill
• 2 Tbs crème fraiche or yogurt (or Prairie Friuit Farm cheve!)

Cook eggplant on gas grill or stove top on foil directly on burners. Turn frequently to roast 15 min, until flesh is very soft and skin is entirely burnt. If you don’t have gas burners you can bake in an electric stove under a broiler after poking them with a knife. Scoop out the flesh and set in a colander to drain for 15 minutes. Then add salt, pepper and a half tsp of vinegar.

Make the lentils while the eggplant cooks by cooking in saucepan with water. Add 1 coarse cut carrot and celery/kale stalks, bay leaf, onion and bring to boil. Simmer on low heat until soft – skim if needed. Drain, discard carrot and bayleaf before adding the rest of the vinegar, 2 Tbs oil, and salt and pepper. Then dice the rest of the carrot and celery or chard leaves, halve tomatoes, and combine with oil, sugar, and salt before cooking in an ovenproof dish at 275 degrees for 20 min.

Finally, combine the veggies with lentils, herbs and then place this on a plate, top with eggplant and the crème fraiche or cheese. The next step is obvious.. eat!