Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes

You know I love lentils :) I got this recipe from the "Barefoot Contessa at Home" cookbook. Ina Garten wrote about this recipe, "Whenever I worked in the kitchen at Barefoot Contessa, I'd make huge pots of it. It's healthy and it's delicious." We agreed. When I made it, it seemed to have more liquid than the picture, but it was yummy especially with a slice of baguette to soak it up. Because I just added diced tomatoes rather than putting canned plum tomatoes in the food processor, there were a lot more tomato chunks in it, but Riley (how doesn't like tomatoes) ate hers faster than anyone. I was shocked, but oh so proud.

Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups large-diced yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cups large-diced carrots (3-4 carrots)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 (28 oz) can whole plum tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes)
1 cup French green lentils (7 oz)
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp mild curry powder
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used 1 tsp dried)
2 tsp kosher salt (I used about 1 tsp--her recipes are always too salty for me)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp good red wine vinegar

1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, until onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
2. Place canned plum tomatoes, including the juice, in a food processor and pulse several times until tomatoes are coarsely chopped.
3. Rinse and pick over the lentils to make sure there are no stones in the package.
4. Add the tomatoes, lentils, chicken broth, curry powder, thyme, salt and pepper to the pan. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Remove from heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes.
5. Add the vinegar, season to taste, and serve hot.