

Maggie Beer

Green Lentils with Fennel, Bacon and Chestnuts

Step 1: Preheat fan forced oven to 200C.

Step 2: Prepare and chop the vegetables for roasting and place in a large baking dish. Coat with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, garlic, sea salt and black pepper. Using your hands or a spoon, make sure all vegetables are coated.

Step 3: Place in the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes until vegetables are nearly cooked. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped thyme and pour over the Verjuice.

Step 4: Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes until vegetables are lightly burnished and tender.

Step 5: Coarsely chop chestnuts and place to one side.

Step 6: Place the lentils in a medium saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil, remove any impurities that have risen to the surface with a spoon. Strain and rinse the lentils and place to one side.

Step 7: Place a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and bacon batons and cook until lightly golden. Add the finely chopped eschalot and garlic and sauté until softened. Add half of the chestnuts and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 8: Add the lentils and stir well so everything is covered. Pour in the Verjuice and stir for 30 seconds, then pour over the Chicken Stock before adding the bay leaf and parmesan rind if using.

Step 9: Cook for 30 minutes until the lentils are cooked but still retain a little bite. Strain from any juices, and season.

Step 10: Add in the roasted vegetables and divide into four bowls.

Step 11: To serve, top with the reserved chestnuts, finely chopped parsley, lemon juice and lemon wedges.


  1. 100g chestnuts roasted
  2. 200g 1 cup green lentils blanched and rinsed
  3. 50g 4 rashers belly bacon cut into batons
  4. 80g 4 small eschalot finely chopped
  5. 6g 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  6. 60ml 1/4 cup Verjuice
  7. 480ml 2 cup Chicken Stock
  8. 1 parmesan rind (optional)
  9. 25g 1 cup flat leaf parsley finely chopped
  10. 20ml 1 tbspn lemon juice freshly squeezed

Roast Vegetables

  1. 200g 1 cup orange and purple carrot peeled and small dice
  2. 200g 1 cup fennel small dice
  3. 180g 1/2 cup parsnip chopped lengthways
  4. 220g 1/2 cup celeriac chopped into bite size segments
  5. 200g 1/2 cup purple sweet potato chopped into bite size segments
  6. 6g 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  7. 2g 1 tbspn fresh thyme finely chopped
  8. 80ml 1/3 cup Verjuice

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