Red Lentil Risotto
Red Lentil Risotto
Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable stock
1 or 2 sprigs thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely diced
2 ribs of celery, finely diced
1/4 cup sherry or red wine
1/3 cup arborio or bomba rice
1 cup dried red lentils*
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup grated Parmesano-Reggiano (optional)
sea salt, to taste
Instructions:
Bring the vegetable stock to a light simmer in a medium sauce pot. Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Keep the stock simmering while you make the risotto.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium until shimmering. Add the shallots and celery and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the sherry and simmer until mostly evaporated. Breathe in deeply – the cooking aromas are amazing.
Add the rice and push the grains around for a minute or two, coating them with the pan juices. Add 1/2 cup of the warmed stock and stir (tip: standard U.S. ladles hold 1/2 cup). When most of the stock has been absorbed, add another 1/2 cup. Continue for about 10 minutes (or 4 stock additions). (You’re giving the rice a head start because the lentils take less time to cook.)
Add the dried lentils, a big pinch of salt, and another 1/2 cup of stock, stirring well, then the tomato paste. Continuing adding stock as it is absorbed, and all the while stir-stir-stir. Taste the risotto – it’s ready when both rice and lentils are plump and al dente. This will take about 10 to 20 minutes, once you add the lentils. (If you run out of stock, use water.)
Add more salt if necessary, and stir in the cheese. Serve immediately. Still tastes great the next day, but the lentils will have lost a bit of their firm oomph.
*Red lentils are faster cooking than green or brown. If you use green or brown, you’ll need to cook them longer than noted here.
Hello, and welcome to SoupAddict, my little corner of the foodie world on the Interwebs. I'm Karen, and it's true, I'm addicted to soup. The seasons guide my cooking and eating, and when I'm not behind the stove — or the keyboard: I'm a writer by trade — you can find me in my vegetable garden. 
Just so you know, I have stove envy and I too, feel cheated out of summer because of the crazy 3 digit heat. Marked this recipe in the “to make” list once it cools here in LA. It’s better, but still nowhere near your temps. I’m so glad that your saffron appears to have weathered the summer! I’ll have to look that post up and see if I can plant any here. Found out that our soil doesn’t chill enough to grow garlic (darn), so maybe saffron, never know.
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Ohhh, whenever someone tells me I can’t grow something in my area … well, that’s just a challenge I can’t resist. If you’re willing to take a chance, I have some recommendations. Try artichoke, silver skin or Creole varieties – they do best in warm climates. Not sure how easily these speciality varieties can be found right now for a fall planting – google artichoke garlic, or Creole Red, or Ajo Rojo, and see if you can find a supplier. Or check your local farmers’ market and see if a grower has dared to buck conventional wisdom, too.
What a great idea to grow saffron! I’ve never tried it, but I definitely will next year….
Rocky Mountain Woman recently blogged about: Unprejudiced Palate & A Giveaway!
I highly recommend it.
Start looking for corms (bulbs) in the spring (they’ll ship about mid-summer). Make sure the nursery specifies the species “crocus sativas” – similar crocuses are often marketed as “saffron crocuses” but are not the real thing. I got mine from American Meadows – literally the only retailer I could find the year I decided to grow them – but I’ve since seem them elsewhere.
This looks like my kind of colder weather meal! Delicious. And I love the wooden (?) plate and spoon.
Saffronandhoney recently blogged about: MobileSkillet/Pinterest competition
Going to try this this weekend! Question though… might be dumb… but should the lentils be cooked or dry when adding to the risotto?
Going to try this this weekend! Question though… might be dumb… but should the lentils be cooked or dry when adding to the risotto? Please let me know. Thanks!
Hi Aurora, that’s not a dumb question at all – I’ll edit the recipe to make it clearer. The lentils go in dry. It’ll take 10 to 20 additonal minutes of heating, stirring, and adding stock to finish up the rice and cook the lentils. I hope you enjoy it!