Lentils with Roasted Winter Squash

This recipe comes from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. It's a delicious vegetarian main course for a cold winter evening. I used butternut squash, but you could use any medium winter squash.

Ingredients:

• butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups vegetable stock or water, or more as needed
• 1 and 1/2 cup dried brown lentils, washed and picked over
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toss the squash in olive oil and roast on a baking sheet until tender and caramelized.
• Put the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, celery, and carrot; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft.
• Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add the bay leaf, wine, stock, and lentils. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  
• Add stock or water if needed to keep the lentils from sticking and burning. Lentils should be soft but not soupy.
• Add the squash to the lentils in the last 10 minutes or so of cooking.