Lentils and Pasta with Greens

The Classic Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals cookbook is full of recipes.  There is a recipe in here for pretty much anything you can think of, as long as it doesn't involve baking.  I go through phases of love and apathy with this book - love because of the sheer volume of inspirational ideas and apathy because it's just so much to sort through.  I was in an adventurous mood, so I flipped through the book and found "Lentils and Pasta with Greens."  It sounded nutrient dense and Rachael wouldn't make it if it weren't delicious, right?  I've never had lentils before, but it's a new year and the perfect time to expand my culinary horizons.


The Fixins:

• 2/3 cup dried lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 10 to 12 oz pasta
• 3 Tbs EVOO
• 1 small boiling onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled & chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 can vegetable broth
• 1 lb Swiss chard, washed, dried & chopped
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Prep the lentils by covering them with water and bringing them to a boil.  Add one of the bay leaves and cook for around 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.  Drain and set aside.  In the meantime, cook the pasta per package directions then drain.  While the lentils and pasta are working, add EVOO to a hot pan over medium heat then add the bay leaf, onion, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic.  Saute for 10 minutes, then add the wine and reduce for one minute.  Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.  Add the broth and chard, then cover until the greens have wilted.  Finally, add the spices (allspice, cumin, salt, and pepper).  Cook for another 10 minutes or until greens are palatable.  Add the pasta and lentils.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Result:

The result was earthy.  There were definitely a lot of "green" flavors in this pasta.  The lentils were good and made me think of what the baby of a pea and a bean would taste like.  Even with seasonings adjusted, I still wanted something more, so I grated a bit of Parmesan on top.  The hubby agreed that this dish was somewhat lackluster.  The following evening, he served up leftovers topped with pancetta and it was improved greatly.  It's not that any of the original flavors here were bad, they just fell short of a satisfying dish.

Repeat:

Nope.  This was just way too much work to be disappointed.  Add that to the fact that even if Rachael can do it in 30 minutes, I most certainly cannot.  I'd definitely try making lentils again - those were fine - but the whole dish just wasn't a winner. 

How do you like your lentils?  I'd love to find a yummy way to enjoy them :)