Prepare your leeks: Leeks are notoriously sandy. First, cut off any parts of each leek that are darker than light green. Cut the ends of the roots. Peel the layers of your leek until there is no visible dirt that cannot be rinsed away. Thoroughly rinse away any remaining dirt or grit. Wipe down your counter and knife (there’s a lot of dirt and grit), then cut the white and pale green parts into 1-inch rings.
On the stove: In a large (3-4 quart) ovenproof skillet with a lid (I use this) – or, if you don’t have one, just use a wide, deep skillet for the stovetop part and transfer it to a baking dish for the braising part – heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the leek slices and season lightly with salt and pepper. cook until golden underneath, about 4 to 5 minutes, then flip each leek and cook until golden brown underneath on second side, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the pan with minced garlic, then dried lentils. Carefully pour in the broth, using it to “rinse” the lentils off the top of the leeks and into the pan so they cook evenly. Sprinkle with lemon zest and green onions and season with salt and pepper as needed. Bring to a boil and cover the pan with a lid. Transfer to the oven.
In the oven: Cook the leeks and lentils together for 40 to 45 minutes or until the leeks are tender and the lentils are tender. [Different lentil varieties might need more or less time.] There will be some liquid broth in the pan.
While the leeks and lentils cook: In a small bowl, mix the natural yogurt with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 minced or microplaned garlic clove, and salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons lemon juice with 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the arugula with the vinaigrette; that’s more than it needs and most of it will land at the bottom of the bowl. Don’t worry, we’ll use it too.
To finish : Remove the braised leeks and lentils from the oven. You can finish the dish directly in your pan by pouring it with the yogurt sauce and sprinkling some arugula on top. Pour the rest of the vinaigrette over the dish to give more tang to the leeks and lentils. You can also arrange this on a plate to your liking – shown here with the yogurt spread on the plate, a piece of toasted sourdough and everything else piled on top.
More things you could add/zhuzh with: Grilled hazelnuts, sliced fennel and/or shaved parmesan with a peeler in the salad. I was tempted to add a little cumin to the lentils and yogurt, maybe some sumac on the salad, but I resisted the simplicity. You can definitely give the lentils a little heat with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of mild or regular red pepper flakes with the broth. And it’s fantastic with a poached egg on top; It’s my lunch all week.
Note: This is labeled gluten free, so of course if you’re using toast yours should be too.
