Lentil and Egg Stew
A hearty Mediterranean-style stew combining French or black beluga lentils with a flavorful soffritto base, topped with perfectly poached eggs and served with crispy garlic bread. This rustic dish features layers of vegetables including onion, fennel, carrots, and spinach.
Ingredients
- •1 large onion
- •1 bulb fennel
- •3 medium carrots
- •6 cloves garlic
- •¼ cup olive oil
- •1 to taste Kosher salt
- •1 tablespoon tomato paste
- •2 cups French or black beluga lentils
- •1 piece Parmesan rind
- •1 bunch spinach
- •4 large eggs
- •4 slices country-style bread
- •1 to taste Red wine vinegar and grated Pecorino
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Pulse onion, fennel, carrots, and chopped garlic in a food processor until soffritto is finely chopped. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add soffritto, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 10-12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if mixture is browning too quickly, until golden brown and very soft (it will look almost like a purée), 10-12 minutes. Add lentils and 6 cups water. Lay Parmesan rind on top (it may stick if it falls to the bottom). Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until lentils are tender, 35-45 minutes, depending on type. Taste and season with more salt.
60 min
- 2.
Meanwhile, place spinach in a glass bowl and add a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Microwave on high until bright green and slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Squeeze firmly to expel excess water, then cut in half. (If you don't have a microwave, add the spinach directly to the pot and let it wilt slightly before making divots for eggs.) Thin stew with water by 1/4-cupfuls if needed to loosen. Scatter wilted spinach across the top.
5 min
- 3.
Using the back of a spoon, create 4 divots in surface of stew and drop an egg into each. Cover pot and simmer stew very gently just until eggs are set, 8-12 minutes.
12 min
- 4.
While the eggs are cooking, heat a small saucepan over medium-high; pour in oil to come 1/4" up sides. Working one at a time, fry slices of bread, turning once and adding more oil as needed, until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute per side for each slice. Season lightly with salt and rub with garlic clove.
8 min
- 5.
Carefully divide stew and eggs among bowls, add a splash of vinegar to each, and top with Pecorino. Serve with fried bread.
5 min
- 6.
Stew (without eggs and spinach) can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.