Marinated eggplant and beluga lentils

It is the eggplant season and I for one have been embracing it shamelessly. Since my own eggplant in my garden is still growing, I've resorted to the beautiful produce of the farmers' markets to satisfy my cravings.

Eggplants love marinades and the mixture of garlic, chilli, rosemary and olive oil is certainly one that will convert even the toughest eggplant-hater into loving them. I'm sure you also know my love for lentils by now and they really go so well with eggplants - this dish had everything I could ask for!

 Marinated eggplant and beluga lentils

(Recipe adapted from Burke's Backyard Magazine)

1 large eggplant, cut into 1-2 cm thick slices

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, extra

1 small clove of garlic, finely sliced

pinch of chilli flakes

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

200g beluga lentils (you can also use brown or French lentils)

2 green shallots, finely sliced

pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a grill pan on medium high and brush the eggplant slices with olive oil. Cook the eggplant in batches for a couple of minutes on each side, then lay the slices in a large dish. 

2. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the eggplant slices. Turn the slices around to coat both sides, then leave to marinade for at least 30 minutes. 

3. Cook the lentils until just tender. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Add finely sliced green shallots and season with salt and pepper. 

4. Slice the marinated eggplants in thick slices and toss into the lentils. Serve the dish warm or room temperature.

Eggplant and lentil stacks

Hello friends, how was your weekend?

It was a very warm spring weekend here in Sydney, and we got the first real taste of summer. I did some gardening on my little balcony - the herbs are growing fast and now there are even a few tiny tomatoes popping up! It'll be some time yet until they are ripe enough to eat, but I am so excited to see them grow. 

Sunday was such a warm day that I felt like cooking us something light. These tasty eggplant and lentil stacks are a perfect vegetarian meal, and certainly perfect to feed my latest eggplant addiction. You could use beluga lentils too, but I had some green lentils waiting to be used, so I cooked them up instead. Goat cheese would be a great alternative to feta, but you can leave the cheese out if you like.

Eggplant and lentil stacks

(recipe adapted from taste.com.au)

200g lentils

1 large eggplant, cut into slices

2 shallot greens, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

100g feta cheese

pinch of sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

rocket leaves, for serving

1. Rinse the lentils and place in a saucepan with plenty of fresh water. Bring to boil, then let simmer until just tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the slices for a few minutes on each side. 

3. Mix the shallots, and sherry vinegar with the lentils. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. You can add a dash of olive oil in the mix as well.

4. Place an eggplant slice on a serving plate, spoon on some lentils, add another layer of eggplant and lentils and top with a slice of eggplant. Crumble on some feta cheese and scatter the rocket leaves around. Repeat with the second stack. Serve immediately.

Tempeh with beluga lentils

 

I am on a deadline today. Had you been a fly on my ceiling, observing my day, you would've thought I was truly busy with very small tasks - like polishing the kitchen sink, folding and refolding laundry, carefully examining my growing tomatoes and herbs, and browsing ideas for my next sewing project. All important tasks, of course, but what about the deadline? Yes. Admittedly I was procrastinating to a point where it seemed impossible to procrastinate any further. Oh wait. It was time to break for lunch.

I had beluga lentils. Those shiny black little pearls that look like caviar. I had tempeh too, my number one choice of protein these days. And combined with spices like pink peppercorns, mustard seeds and sumac, these two simple ingredients made the most enjoyable meal that almost made me forgot I had a deadline to meet. Perhaps one more thing before I head back to meet my deadline. Share this recipe with you. And maybe clean up in the kitchen.

 

  

Tempeh with beluga lentils

(serves 2)

1 cup (230g) beluga lentils

 2 cups (500ml) water

1 packet (300g) tempeh, sliced

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil

1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds

1 teaspoon pink peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon ground sumac

pinch of sea salt

1/4 lemon, juiced

fresh coriander, to serve, optional

1. Rinse the lentils and put in a saucepan. Pour in the water and bring to boil. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes or until just tender. Stir with a spoon every now and then. 

2. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they start popping, add the sliced tempeh. Season with peppercorns, sumac and a bit of salt and cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes. 

3. Drizzle the lemon juice in the lentils and serve with fried tempeh. Add chopped fresh coriander, if wished.