Puy lentils are high in protein and cholesterol-reducing fibre. They are virtually fat free, and low GI. They’re also very good for heart health. They’re a winner. I added garlic and vitamin C, and more protein in the form of fish to produce this for a super healthy, low calorie, low-carb Sunday lunch.
What to use – serves 2
- 2 cod fillets
- 100g puy lentils
- tea spoon of dried thyme
- veg stock
- good glug of white wine
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic
- glug of olive oil
- juice of half a lemon
- salt and pepper
For the salsa verde
- Small bunches of basil, parsley, mint
- A gooood glug of olive oil – a table spoon at least
- Big squeeze of lemon
- Pinch of sea salt
How to use it
Put your fish in the oven at 180C for as long as directed to. I used frozen cod fillets which the packaging said needed to go in for 30 minutes. I found they were over done. If baking from fresh, I’d say 10-15 minutes is plenty. I put slices of lemon on them and wrapped in tin foil.
Put your lentils on to cook. Be guided by the pack that you have – mine needed cooking for approx 25 minutes. I rinsed them, put them into a pan and covered with cold water – about 4 x the volume of water to lentils. I added a glug of white wine, a teaspoon of thyme and a quarter of a veg stock cube.
Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.
Then I blended the cherry tomatoes, garlic, some olive oil and lemon juice, and added the mix to the pan. Stir well and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced and the lentils have taken on the lovely winey, tomatoey, herby, garlic flavours. Test the lentils as you go – they’re meant to be al dente but if you find them a bit hard, add some more water until you’re happy.
I made a salsa verde with some basil, parsley, mint, lemon and olive oil. There are many ways of doing it but that was the simple version I went with. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz.
To serve, pile your lentils on to the plate, add the fish on top, and then drizzle with the salsa verde.
Mmm rating: mm mm mm
Cost per person: £2.00
Calories per person: 370
What to listen to: this very soothing cover of Night Fever
What to watch: Penny Dreadful – go from relaxed to being scared witless – as one reviewer puts it, it’s riotous and ridiculous
eatburpsleep 