(Recipe from “Sababa: Fresh Sunny Flavors from My Israeli Kitchen,” by Adeena Sussman)
Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils, picked over
- 3 medium-large or 6 small leeks (1 1/2 pounds), tender green and white parts only, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 large head of fennel, with as many fronds attached as possible
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Baharat (see recipe below)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Place the lentils in a medium bowl, cover with cold water, soak for 15 minutes, and drain
- Place the leeks in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 15 minutes to release any sand. Lift the leeks out into a strainer, drain well, and pat dry.
- Trim and discard the stalks from the fennel, but remove and reserve the fronds. Halve the fennel through its core, then use the tip of the knife to cut out and discard the white inner core; thinly slice the fennel.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the leeks and cook, stirring, until deep brown and crisped, 10-11 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate; season with salt to taste.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the other half of the leeks and cook, stirring, until tender, 4 minutes. Add the fennel, Baharat, and cumin, and cook until the fennel starts to soften, 5 minutes. Add the drained lentils, broth, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer until the lentils are tender and have absorbed the liquid, 20-25 minutes. Chop the fennel fronds, add most of them to the leeks, and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the crispy leeks and a few fennel fronds.
Makes 4-6 servings.
