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Braised Fennel, lemon, dill and Puy Lentils

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Braised fennel with Puys lentils is a simple vegan dish, healthy, elegant and subtle in flavors.
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Mains
  • Diet: Vegan

Braised fennel with Puy lentils is a simple vegan dish, healthy, elegant and subtle in flavors. It features some tender maple-braised fennel, lemon, dill and lentils.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ⅓ cups (250g) Puy lentils, dried
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 fennel bulbs*
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • A few sprigs of thyme
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 5.3 ounces (150g) baby spinach
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook the lentils in 3 times their volume of cold water in a large pot placed over medium heat. Add a bay leaf and cook for about 25 minutes or until tender but still al-dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
  2. Cut off the bottom and top parts of each fennel bulb, and discard. Cut 1 ½ fennel bulbs in wedges (keeping the remaining ½ fennel bulb for slicing). Cut into quarters, then cut each quarter in half. Slice the remaining half bulb.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet placed over medium low-heat. Add the fennel wedges and cook until very tender and golden brown on both sides. Pour in the maple syrup and gently flip the fennel wedges until coated and slightly caramelized. Add thyme, fresh dill, lemon zest and juice. Feel free to add a little bit of water if the mixture dries out quickly. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
  4. In a separate skillet, cook the sliced fennel with olive oil over medium heat, until tender and slightly golden. Add the fennel seeds and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring often. Add the cooked lentils (without the bay leaf), and stir in the baby spinach and cook until wilted, stirring regularly. Add fresh dill and season with salt and pepper. Add the braised fennel bulbs, and serve with more fresh dill and extra lemon zest if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

* You will need 1 ½ fennel bulbs cut into wedges. Slice the remaining ½ fennel bulb thinly.

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https://www.delscookingtwist.com/braised-fennel-lemon-dill-and-puy-lentils/