Stew Lentils With Spinners
Jamaican stew peas are a thick, hearty dish that takes the kind of time and effort that lies just outside the peripheries of a weeknight meal. But a few smart shortcuts bring those comforting flavors well within reach. Choosing a legume that’s smaller than the traditional red kidney beans cuts the cooking time by more than half and nixes the need for an overnight soak. Black lentils are an ideal swap for traditional red kidney beans, delivering intense flavor and color, but brown or green lentils will work too. Pancetta provides the salty, porky flavor a salted pig’s tail would, while coconut milk and thyme add distinctly Caribbean aromas. Optional spinners — tapered, tubular dumplings — are prepared while the lentils stew, showcasing the ever-exciting transformation of flour and water into something significant and satisfying.
Yield
6
Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups black, brown or green lentils
3 ounces pancetta, diced
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
3 scallions, sliced, plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 Scotch bonnet chile
1 cup all-purpose flour
Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Sort through lentils for any debris and rinse well.
Step 2
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the pancetta and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and most of the fat is rendered. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 3
In the same pot with the pancetta fat, melt the coconut oil over medium. Add the onion, garlic and scallions, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown in parts. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Add 3 ½ cups water plus the coconut milk, rinsed lentils, browned pancetta and thyme, and, using a wooden spoon, stir to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Season the broth with salt and pepper to taste. Float the Scotch bonnet chile, unpunctured, in the coconut milk bath. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any scorching on the bottom of the pot, until lentils are just tender.
Step 5
While the lentils plump, make the spinners: In a medium bowl, season the flour with a pinch of salt. Stir in water, starting with ⅓ cup and increasing slowly, a teaspoon at a time, until a soft and shaggy dough forms. Roll small pieces of dough in between your palms to make tubes, about 4 inches long and ½ inch wide. (You’ll have about 8.)
Step 6
After the lentils have simmered for 30 minutes, gently add the spinners to the pot and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered, until cooked through and tender.
Step 7
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with rice and garnish with additional scallions.
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