Unboring Brussels sprouts and lentils

I just realised how booorrrring the title of this post sounds.

Brussels Sprouts (erk!)

Lentils (double-erk!!)

 But please don’t change the channel just yet. This is a surprisingly tasty little dish that, when served with something meaty – like roast lamb, maybe? – will make you feel that being vegetarian might not be so bad after all. You’d just need to give up roast lamb.

Hope you like it anyway. I did, and wasn’t bored at all!

Brussels sprouts and lentils

serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

¼ cup Puy lentils, rinsed and drained

500g (1 lb) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

3 tblsp butter

1 tblsp olive oil

2 eschalots, sliced

Dressing:

1 tblsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tblsp olive oil

Method

1. For the lentils: place the lentils in a small saucepan with 2 cups of cold water. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.

2. For the Brussels sprouts: bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the sprouts for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add eschalots and cook for 5 minutes until softened and browned. Add Brussels sprouts and cook for 5 more minutes, until golden.

4. For the dressing: whisk the dressing ingredients together with salt and pepper.

5. To serve: combike the sprouts and eschalots together with the lentils in a bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss together.

recipe from Donna Hay magazine

Ingredients: Brussels sprouts, lentils and eschalots

The Brussels sprouts are blanched in boiling water before being tossed in a hot frying pan

Golden Brussels sprouts and Puy lentils - a vegetarian delight (except for the butter)!