Beluga Lentils with Soffritto

This is a lovely quick dish. I love the color of the beluga lentils, and they have a nice texture. If you can't find beluga lentils, French or brown lentils work equally well. I prefer the French to the brown, but mostly just on appearance. This can either be a side dish, or turned into a weekday main if served with a whole grain (go go complete protein!).

1 cup lentils

4 cups water

3 tablespoons soffritto

3 cloves garlic (optional)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 teaspoon oregano

Combine water and lentils in a pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to lowest setting and cover. The pot should still simmer. You do not need to stir.

Simmer the lentils for 20-30 minutes, until tender.

If you are using garlic, mince the garlic and fry in a small amount of oil.

Once the lentils are done, combine all the remaining ingredients in the lentils and stir GENTLY. If the lentils are stirred too hard they'll turn to mush.

Please don't balk at the amount of oil. The lentils have no oil in them. The oil is important for texture, taste, and satiety. You won't feel full if there isn't enough oil in the dish.