Brown Rice and Lentils

I got the inspiration for this from Michael Smith's 'The Best of Chef at Home.' Here's his recipe:

• a splash of olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of brown rice
• 1 cup of dried lentils
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• a bay leaf or two
• a sprinkle or two of sea salt and freshly ground pepper

"Splash the olive oil into a small pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes until they just start to turn golden brown.

Add the rice, lentils, chicken broth, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Bring everything to a simmer. Continue cooking until the rice and lentils are tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let stand for a few minutes before serving. "

I couldn't help but tweak this recipe to add some flavor. I started by heating the oil, to which I added some cumin seeds, a few cloves, a bay leaf, and a just a few crushed green cardamon seeds, and toasted for a few seconds. Added minced garlic and shallot (instead of a regular onion), sauteed, added the chicken stock, Puy Lentils, and brown rice. Brought it to a boil and simmered for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, I placed some dried currents in hot water to plump up... added them for the final 10 minutes of cooking.

Rich, aromatic, hearty, and sweet... this is a nice healthy dish.