Lentils are in the family of legumes and come
in many different colors such as green, brown, orange and red though we usually
know them as brown. Lentils may be peeled or eaten whole in their
husk that changes the cooking time. They are a terrific source of protein
ranking the third highest after soybeans and hemp in the legume family and are
generally considered among the healthiest foods. Lentils
have little fat and provide a good source of iron and fiber. And as far as convenience
unlike their bean neighbor’s lentils don’t need presoaking and have an average
cooking time of about 30 minutes. In sum they are an all star
vegetable, or more correctly a fruit.
(organic green lentils)
Lentil dishes
I romanticize French style cooking with lentil
salad served alongside duck confit and frisse, especially on a cold winter’s
night – such a heart-warming dish. My vegetarian spouse has been
perfecting a lentil soup recipe that consist of a potpourri of fragrant, cumin,
coriander, turmeric, and bay leaf with a touch of cayenne to spice the palate
up. Personally I like to pair lentils in bitter salads such as
puntarella, endive and/or radicchio which calls for some sort of a sweet
component in the mix like dried cranberries, black currants, or raisins and
rather harsh-acidic vinegars such as sherry or balsamic with a
splash of extra virgin olive oil. The sweet and tart qualities of
the dried fruit and the acidity of the vinegar complement a lentil salad with
its naturally nutty and earthy flavor profile. It sounds like a roller coaster
of flavors but it makes a satisfying, tasty salad. Of course lentils are
ideal in stews and soups because they adapt to other flavors nicely and absorb
tastes richly.
(lentil salad with avocados, orange segments and arugula)
Accidental success
Overcooked your lentils? No worries. Add a cup
of brewed coffee and cook the lentils even longer – strain the liquid and puree
it in a blender. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and a tad of honey. Or replace
the coffee wit extra bitter chocolate (1 ounce/per cup of lentil puree) and
blend it until it has melted in the warm lentil puree. Doesn’t sound like it
would work? Try it! You’ll be surprised.
(lentil puree seasoned with coffee and a touch of bitter chocolate)
The following salad can be whipped up within forty minutes and has plenty of variations depending on what’s available in the wintery bitter green department.
Lentil Salad
(recipe yields four portions)
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed in cold water
3 cups cold water
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons acidic vinegar such as balsamic
or sherry
1 lemon, juiced
2 pieces endive
1 head radicchio, approx, 5-inch diameter
4 grindings black pepper from a mill
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup cranberries, preferably sweetened with
apple juice
1. In a 2-quart sized pot
combine lentils, salt and water and bring to boil. Turn the heat setting to low
and simmer for 20 minutes - covered with a lid. Taste test lentils for soft
texture, if they are not, cook for 10 minutes longer. Spread the lentils onto a
plate to cool to room temperature.
2. In a mixing bowl
combine salt, pepper, lemon juice and vinegar and mix with a wire whisk for one
minute. Whisk the oil into the mixture.
3. Cut endive into ½-inch
wide circles. Cut radicchio in ½-inch pieces and separate into individual
pieces. Soak the salads in luke-warm water for 5 minutes – this will remove
some of the natural bitterness. Dry the salad in a salad spinner or with
kitchen paper towel.
4. Mix lentils with the
dressing and then with the salad and cranberries. Mix the salad with your hands
– “kneading” all ingredients gently together.
