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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil or oil-spray a
shallow, 9-by-13-inch casserole dish or a large oval gratin
pan.
Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, then add
butter and let it melt into oil. Stir in onion and salt, and
cook, covered, over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring
often. The onions should be soft and golden. Add tomatoes,
cover and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring
frequently.
Add sugar, vinegar, lentils and pepper, and stir well.
Transfer to prepared baking pan, cover tightly with foil, and
bake for about 45 minutes, or until heated through.
Serve hot, topped with a scattering of sliced green olives, if
desired. Makes 6 servings.
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Note- Both the tomatoes and lentils can be prepared ahead
of time. For the tomatoes- Roast about 6 plum or 3 large
beefsteak tomatoes; peel, seed and mince them, then
measure out 1 cup to use in this dish. If you are short on
time you can substitute canned tomatoes.
For the lentils- To get 8 cups of cooked lentils, begin with 4
cups dried. Red lentils cook more quickly and are a prettier
color than the green or French varieties, but you can use
any kind for this dish and it will come out fine. Rinse them
well, place in a pot with 10 cups of water, bring to a boil,
then simmer until very soft (20 minutes for red lentils; 30 to
40 minutes for green or French).
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