Pasta With Lentils And Chard
Ingredients
12 oz. Swiss chard
1 C. lentils rinsed and drained
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced or pressed
1 tsp. cumin seeds coarsely crushed
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
2 C. water
12 oz. dry linguine
Salt to taste
6 oz. Neufchatel cheese room temperature
Grated Parmesan cheese optional
Cooking Instructions
Rinse and drain chard well. Trim off coarse stem ends, then cut stems crosswise into 1/4 inchwide strips and set aside. Cover chard leaves and refrigerate. In a 3 quart or larger electric cooker, combine chard stems, lentils, onion, garlic, cumin seeds, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Pour in water. Cover and cook at low setting until lentils are tender when mashed with a fork 6 to 7 hours. Cut chard leaves crosswise into 1/2 inch-wide strips, stir into cooker. Increase heat setting to high, cover and cook until chard is wilted and bright green about 15 minutes more. Meanwhile, in a 5 to 6 quart pan, cook linguine in 3 quarts boiling water just until tender to bite 10 to 12 minutes, or cook according to package directions. Drain well, pour into a warm wide 4 quart bowl. Season lentil sauce to taste with salt. Add lentil sauce and Neufchatel cheese to linguine, mix lightly to coat well. Offer Parmesan cheese to add taste, if desired.
My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalms 42:3)