Instructions: Heat the oil in a medium-large saucepan. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, breaking the tomatoes into chunks with the side of a spoon if necessary. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, until the lentils are tender but retain their shape, about 30 minutes. (Green lentils usually take about 15 minutes longer to soften.)

Uncover, stir in the rosemary and sage, and simmer until the lentils are thickened to a stewlike consistency, 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the pieces of bay leaf. Stir in the vinegar and season with black pepper and additional salt to taste.

NOTES : Serve this tasty rosemary-scented lentil stew with a splash of balsamic fig vinegar over Parsley-Parmesan Potato Cake or with peasant bread. A green salad with radicchio or other bitter greens adds a welcome balance.

TIPS when making this menu: make sure you have all the ingredients before starting. Dont ignore the potatoes cooking away while digging thru the freezer for that bag of lentils you remember buying. where are they?

The potatoes were good, if a little too smoky and there are safer ways to add the flavor of smoke to potatoes than burn the pan.

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