Lentil Rice Pilaf

Like I said in my Irish Soda Bread Cookies post, I decided to try and start a New Year's tradition with my family. In the Italian tradition, it is good luck to make a lentil dish for the New Year. We aren't Italian, although my son and his father have a tiny bit in their blood. I liked the idea of a “good luck food” as superstitious as it sounds. I also like to try to incorporate new family traditions into our lives. I actually brought some over to my parents as well. This dish really seems perfect. Whether or not these lentils will bring us good luck this year, well it's still too early to know...

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 3 Tbs minced garlic
• 2 cups broth, you can use either vegetable or chicken (I used homemade chicken broth)
• ½ cup uncooked brown rice
• ½ cup dried lentils; sorted, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (28.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 Tbs dried parsley

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook on medium until tender.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Add broth, rice and lentils to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for a half hour. Add the can of tomatoes and the parsley. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
   
   
   
   
   

You can also make this recipe sans rice. I only discovered lentils as a lenten side dish in the past year or so, and usually it is just made with the lentils, carrots, celery and onion. I figured instead of having to make a starch as well, it's easier to just incorporate everything into one dish.