Silverbeet with lentils, tahini and sumac
It’s time to give silverbeet some love. It’s such a healthy veg but the flavour can be quite full-on without something else to mellow it and if you just boil it (eww), it’s really not that interesting. Or nice. Well we don’t think it is and are always keen for new takes on it. As major fans of Middle Eastern cooking, we were pretty chuffed to discover this Palestinian way with silverbeet, where it’s mixed with lentils and tahini, with some warming cumin too. All these ingredients soften the full-on green flavour of silverbeet (is ‘green’ even a flavour? Maybe not, but you know what we mean), and we love using the stems as well. Waste not, want not and all of that. Serve this dish warm or at room temperature as a vegetable side with lamb, chicken or fish, or with a few other mezze-style dishes for an informal spread to serve with some pita bread or pide.
SERVES 4-6 (as a side)
1 bunch silverbeet (about 800g)
60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil plus extra, to serve
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
125ml (½ cup) chicken stock or water, approximately
2 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
3 tbsp tahini
400g can lentils, rinsed and drained
Sumac and dried chilli flakes, to serve
Trim 2-3cm off the silverbeet stems, then wash the silverbeet well and shake dry. Remove the leafy greens from the stems. Finely slice the stems and tear the leaves into 5-6cm pieces , then set the leaves aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion, garlic and silverbeet stems. Stir to coat, then cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the cumin and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, then add the leaves and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the leaves are tender. Check the stock as you may need 1-2 tablespoons extra if the mixture dries out too much (there shouldn’t be a lot of liquid, just a smidge in the bottom of the pan).
Stir in the lemon juice and tahini, making sure the tahini is evenly distributed (it can remain in clumps). Add the lentils, season with salt and pepper, then cook, covered, for about 4 minutes to heat everything through. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Transfer to a serving dish, scatter with sumac and serve with dried chilli flakes passed separately to add, to taste.
