Let’s Do Lunch! (Recipe: Outpost Inn’s Poached Eggs atop Lentils with Mirepoix)

I try to keep my personal life separate from my professional one, but sometimes, the lines get blurred. As it is with food blogging—you tend to eat what you blog about, which is both a blessing and a hazard. Not only do you eat it, but sometimes you eat too much of it. Couple that with a lack of serious exercise, ordering the wrong things when eating out, baby weight you never lost and before you know it, you have 30 pounds to lose.  And that’s exactly where I am: with 30 pounds to lose.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because last Thursday night, I made a commitment to myself to eat less, eat healthier, and exercise more. That’s it. No wild tricks, no crazy diets, no diet pills, and nothing up my sleeve. Just make healthier meal choices every day (snack time too), decrease my portion sizes, keep of log of everything I eat, and get more exercise. But this is where food blogging gets tricky: because I refuse to waste food and can’t always give it away, Inn Cuisine is coming along for the ride and making some healthy improvements.

Sweet lovers—never fear! I’ll get back to the brownies, cakes, and pie in good time (with an added dose of self-control). But for now, I’m researching and cooking my way through the healthiest, most body and scale-friendly B&B recipes I can find. Luckily, the Outpost Inn’s Poached Eggs atop Lentils with Mirepoix fills the bill nicely.

Want to follow my weight loss highs & lows? I’ll be sharing that over here.

What is Mirepoix? Mirepoix is the French term for a combination of onion, celery and carrot (sometimes referred to as aromatics) that season many soups, stews, stocks, broths and sauces.

Perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner, this savory dish makes it easy to forget you are eating healthy. A delight to prepare because of (1) how easy it is, and (2) how tantalizing it makes your kitchen smell while it’s simmering, the Outpost Inn’s Poached Eggs atop Lentils with Mirepoix is a recipe that pulls double duty: make extra Lentils with Mirepoux and reserve the leftovers to create a tasty soup. Not only do you have brunch, lunch or dinner taken care of, but lunch or dinner for later in the week as well!

Be sure to check out my Cook’s Note at the end of this post for a link to my favorite, lentil soup recipe (plus a tip on how to kick it up a notch)!

Poached Eggs atop Lentils with Mirepoix

(Lentils with Mirepoix recipe featured on Inn Cuisine, courtesy the Outpost Inn as shared on BedandBreakfast.com)

Serves 6

for the Lentils with Mirepoix

• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 cup diced celery
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups green lentils, presoaked
• 3 & 1/2 cups good chicken stock
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• optional – crushed red pepper flakes for extra kick, go easy unless you like it hot

Saute onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until vegetables are soft. Add lentils, chicken stock, thyme, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using) to taste. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 30 to 40 minutes, or until the lentils are just tender.

How to Make Poached Eggs

(method courtesy Inn Cuisine)

• 6 large, or extra-large, eggs (if following the same amount of servings for Lentils with Mirepoix)
  

Fill a wide saucepan with approximately 3 inches of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil. Optional—add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to the water. Note: some professional chefs claim vinegar helps the egg whites coagulate and hold their shape. Other chefs disagree. The choice is yours (I always add the vinegar).

Reduce heat from a rolling boil to low simmer. Crack egg(s) onto small plates, bowls or into individual cups. Stir the simmering water briskly until a strong vortex is created. Lower the lip (edge) of each plate, bowl or cup into the circulating water, allowing each egg to slide out one at a time. As the vortex sends each egg out to the side of the pan, slide in another. The eggs should sink, yet not stick to each other or the bottom of the saucepan or skillet. If the eggs should not initially sink on their own, simply spoon a few teaspoons of the simmering water over them. As a general rule of thumb, place no more than 4 eggs in a medium-sized saucepan, or 6 eggs in a large one.

Allow the eggs to cook approximately 2-4 minutes depending on the level of doneness desired. When eggs have cooked to your liking, remove them from water, one at a time, using a slotted spoon. Allow excess water to drain. Place eggs on top of Lentils with Mirepoix and serve warm. Top with additional salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

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Cook’s Note: Have leftover Lentils with Mirepoix? Try this yummy recipe from The Perfect Pantry: One-of-Everything Lentil Soup. Not only is it hearty and satisfying, but try adding a bit of spicy sausage to kick the heat up a notch. Can’t stand the heat? Try adding smoked sausage instead!

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