One Pan, Two Plates by Carla Snyder Read Free Book Online

plate—not to mention it’s healthful and filling as well.
........
START TO FINISH 45 minutes
...
HANDS-ON TIME 20 minutes
...
serves 2
........
    ½ cup/100 g jasmine rice
    ¼ cup/35 g slivered almonds
    1 tbsp unsalted butter
    1 tbsp olive oil
    2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
    Salt and freshly ground pepper
    1¾ cups/420 ml chicken broth or water
    ½ cup/100 g red split lentils or green Puy lentils (see “It’s that easy”)
    ¼ cup/40 g chopped dried apricots
    spicy yogurt
    ⅓ cup/75 g Greek yogurt
    1 tbsp minced fresh mint
    1 tbsp olive oil
    2 tsp fresh lemon juice
    1 tsp honey
    ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
    Pinch of salt
    Pinch of cayenne pepper
    1. Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold running water, swishing it with your fingers until the water is no longer cloudy and runs clear, about 1 minute. Set aside.
    2. Toast the almonds on a plate in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another 30 seconds, then stir again and microwave for 30 seconds longer. The nuts won’t brown much, but will definitely taste toastier. Set them aside.
    3. In a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. When the butter is melted and hot, add the onions, ½ tsp salt, and fewgrinds of pepper. Sauté the onions until they soften and begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook the onions, stirring, until they are tender and golden brown, about 3 minutes longer.
    4. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken broth and lentils, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the lentils for 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in the apricots, rice, and almonds. Re-cover and continue to cook until the lentils and rice are almost tender, about 15 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 5 minutes to allow the rice and lentils to finish cooking in the steam. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if it needs it.
    5. To make the spicy yogurt: Stir together the yogurt, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you’d like a more drizzly sauce, stir in 1 tbsp or more water to thin it.
    6. Spoon the mujaddara into warmed shallow bowls and top with a drizzle of the yogurt sauce before serving.
    it’s that easy: I get my red split and small green Puy lentils (sometimes called French lentils) at the health-food store down the street. Italian markets will often carry the green ones and the Middle Eastern markets will have the red split ones for sure. If that is too much trouble, just buy the brown ones on your local grocery shelf. The color won’t be as nice, but they will be just as delicious.
extra hungry? At times, my husband balks at the idea of a meatless meal. That’s when I pick up a rotisserie chicken (or just pieces of one) to boost the portion on his plate. It’s a very simple solution for those times when our appetites don’t exactly match up. Or if you’re both feeling a little hungrier tonight, you can add four boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces, to the stew when you add the rice. It’s an almost effortless addition of protein to the meal.
in the glass: The lentils dictate a simple, light red like a Beaujolais from Georges DuBoeuf. His Fleurie Domaine des Quatre Vents 2009 was a hit for us, but any Beaujolais from Duboeuf would be très magnifique.

Croque Madame

    Croque Madame is a heavenly little grilled ham, cheese, and egg sandwich served in bistros all over France. What makes this sandwich different from the grilled cheese your mom used to make is that it is slathered in béchamel sauce and topped with a fried egg. These upscale additions remove la croque from the lunch category and take it firmly to the dinner-worthy column. I think Mom would approve.
........
START TO FINISH 25 minutes
...
HANDS-ON TIME 25 minutes
...
serves 2
    ½ cup/155 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
    4 slices fresh, crusty