Lentils 101

12 years ago

So, I finally had some lentils (a small serving) that didn't taste like mud. They were yellow, spicy, but needed a little more salt I thought. A guest brought them to our family Christmas Day dinner.

I've given the brown lentils a good shot and they always tasted like mud to me. So I'm willing to try yellow, red, or green lentils to find a recipe or two that I like.

Can you substitute one type of lentils for another type in recipes?

Anyone have favorite tried and true recipes using lentils that you like? Please share -- this is going to be a project for the next month or so.

Thanks!

Teresa

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

caliloo
12 years ago
I made this one for Cookbook Club a few months ago... it was AMAZING!

Alexa

Warm French Lentils
(from Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That?)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup good olive oil
1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 carrots, scrubbed and 1/2-inch diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup French green Le Puy lentils
1 whole onion, peeled and stuck with 6 whole cloves
1 white turnip, cut in half
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan, add the leek and carrots, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute and set aside.
2.Meanwhile, place the lentils, 4 cups of water, the onion with the cloves, and the turnip in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the leek and carrots, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender. Remove and discard the onion and turnip and drain the lentils. Place them in a medium bowl and add the butter.
3.Meanwhile, whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add to the lentils, stir well, and allow the lentils to cool until just warm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve. The longer the lentils sit, the more salt and pepper youÃ¢ÂÂll want to add.
grainlady_ks
12 years ago
I like to sprout lentils, which I use in all kinds of things (spreads, dhal, salads, dry them in a dehydrator and use them for a snack). I keep several varieties of them in home food storage because they are so versatile. I use them in lots of vegetarian dishes, soup, patties....

How timely, I'm making this recipe with some leftover Christmas ham and green lentils.

Warm Lentil and Chicory Vinaigrette
(serves 4)

1-1/3 c. green lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 bay leaf
1 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. diced onions
2 oz. lean smoked ham, cut into 1"x1/4" slivers
1 pound chicory, thinly sliced (other greens can also be used)
1/4 c. defatted chicken stock

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the lentils, carrots, celery and bay leaf. Add cold water to cover by about 2". Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are just tender. Drain; discard the bay leaf. Return the mixture to the pan.

In a cup, mix the vinegar, pepper and 1 T. oil. Drizzle over the lentils and toss lightly to mix. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large no-stick frying pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 T. oil. Add the onions and ham. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Add the chicory is wilted. Add the lentils and toss lightly to mix.

-Grainlady
Related Discussions
Fennel 101
Q
Comments (9)
An older plant of fennel will often develop a swollen stem at the base, near the dirt. This 'bulb' (which isn't a bulb at all, but that's what it's called) is often used as a vegetable, and can be eaten raw or cooked. There is a cultivar of fennel developed especially to produce better 'bulbs'. It's called Florence Fennel. Check out the pix at the link below. The leaves of fennel are often used in cooking, too, both as a flavouring and as a garnish. It goes particularly well with fish. It can be used as a subsitute for dill. Here's a recipe which uses the leaves, just as an example. They can be chopped into salads etc. Carrots and Fennel 20 baby carrots 2 tablespoons fennel leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons butter salt and pepper lemon wedges Steam the carrots until just tender, about 10-12 minutes over medium heat. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Over low heat, add the carrots, stirring to coat with the butter. Add the fennel leaves and stir to combine. Serve in a decorative dish and garnish with lemon slices. Fennel Vinaigrette Dressing 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup fennel leaves 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed pinch salt pinch sugar In a small saucepan, heat oil, fennel leaves, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt and sugar. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Pour over a bowl of sweet red onion and thinly sliced cucumber. Fennel goes well with: Salad, sausage, pork, duck, fish, cabbage, cucumber, onion, herb butter, cheese spread; seeds in desserts and breads. The greens can be used almost interchangeably with dill and the seeds can be used ground in lentil soups, whole in boiling water for rice and brussels sprouts. Seeds and leaves used with fish, in soups, salads and dressings. In short, the entire above-ground parts of fennel can be eaten. Here is a link that might be useful: florence fennel
...See More
Healthy Cooking 101
Q
Comments (18)
Ok, I'm going to try to answer your questions for me: How do you create balanced meals? I usually make sure I have a good source of protein, try to only have 1 carb, and usually some vegetables. If it's a one-dish meal, I try to be cognizant of ratios. You won't find me eating a bowl of fried rice with one ounce of chicken in it. I don't put noodles in the soup if I'm going to want crackers with it. I think eggs and bacon are a better breakfast than cereal. I think I eat a lot more fat and fewer carbs than most people. I also give myself permission to do whatever meets my nutritional needs. Sometimes I eat tuna out of the can because what I really want is to get the lean protein out of the way so I can eat some cheese pizza. Sometimes I dump shrimp and peas into my pasta water and call it a meal. Sometimes I eat an entire bag of beef jerky in the middle of the day. I think it's important to name and rank your priorities out loud, and being a foodie is on the list, but not #1. Do you follow a weekly rotation of menus? Definitely not. I'd get bored. I might plan on cooking three nights and buy three proteins, or have a vague idea that I'd like to do something with tomatoes and ground beef, but I don't think I ever know exactly what I'm cooking before that day. Do you designate some items as must haves on a weekly or daily basis? Nope. But if I realize I haven't eaten vegetables in two days, I take myself firmly in hand :-D Do you have rules for children and adults on what to eat, when to eat etc? I try to have a bare minimum of 20 grams of protein in a meal. Usually much more than that. For me, that usually translates to meat. I use beans, but not as the main protein. It's probably no more than one or two meals a week that don't have a hefty amount of protein. I try not to eat just carbs or just dessert when I'm genuinely hungry- I have a real meal first, then I'm satisfied with a reasonable portion. I have to have some sort of chocolate in the house, even if it's semisweet chocolate chips, because I'll end up eating more of something I don't really want otherwise. If I'm having a randomly starving day, I'll often eat pickles, artichokes, baby corns, or hearts of palm. Something that distracts my mouth long enough for my stomach to realize it's full. Do you actively plan meals to maximize nutrient value for vitamins, minerals etc? (Like Tomato for lycopene or X for Vitamin A or Y for iron etc.) Nope. I am so over those lists of superfoods. Ever notice that every single one is different? Fresh produce is good for you. Variety and different colors are good for you. That's the end of it, for me. What else? I keep a mental list of things that make me feel spoiled, but are good for me. Seafood is a big one. Ahi tuna, especially. I find it really important to buy quality produce. If it ends up disappointing despite my best efforts, I throw it away. There are starving people, but shoveling unwanted calories down my gullet doesn't do them any good, and I will just end up overeating something else to undo the disappointment. Ever notice how many poor people have weight problems? When we aren't getting quality, we tend to make up for it in quantity and/or sugar and fat. It would be helpful if you told us about any challenges or specific questions you're having. Are you planning to cook, but getting short on time or energy and going out for takeout? Having trouble with portion control? Dealing with a picky kid, or finding that everyone in the family likes different things? If you look back over the past couple of weeks, were there any times when you felt particularly unhappy with how a meal played out?
...See More
Amazon Fresh
Q
Comments (23)
Thanks for the link to that article veggiegardnr - very interesting to read. I do agree with them about industrial farms vs. smaller independent farmers. I believe most of our local independent farms who practice organic farming are very careful about what they use to grow their crops; many are also beekeepers, too. They are mostly "back to the land" types and are not farming to get rich from organics (for sure). I don't believe they have the definitive study or conclusions about farming practices. You can find studies that contradict nearly every point in their article, particularly the fallacy that production is less using organic methods, exacerbating the world food shortage. Can organic farming feed us all? And nothing was mentioned about the dangers to farmworkers of being exposed to dangerous chemicals being used on non-organic (and maybe some organic) crops. I simply don't trust that Dow Chemical has our best interest, or the Earth's best interest at heart. Pesticides and farmworkers I agree 100% with Beagles about GMO foods. So many things are seen as safe, or with no consequences, until somewhere down the line, they are found not to be. And when I read things like this: Atomic Veggies I can't help but believe that there is SO much being done to our food that we haven't a clue about; I just choose to fall on the side of buying food which is as unadulterated as possible. "On top of that, there are no animal testing models for the allergenicity of genetically engineered ingredients, so we are just banking on the promises of the chemical companies that have introduced and patented these ingredients. The FDA has not conducted any independent, long-term, human health studies. They don’t have the resources or access since genetically engineered ingredients are protected as intellectual property under U.S. Patent law." Source: Hidden truth about peanut allergies
...See More
Soup recipes II, preferably without spam
Q
Comments (53)
Wow so many awesome soup recipes, I’m going to get to some of these. I just bought leeks today to make caramelized leek and mushroom soup. I still subscribe to cooks illustrated but this will be the last time, I find there is to much advertising in it. I love the Food Network, i too used to be a big Epicurious recipe user but not so much now that there are so many other sites. I use allrecipes, Closet Cooking and a few others . I also have a few of Ina’s cook books which I love. I still use cook books and when I find a recipe recipe on line I print it and put it into a book that I have created as my cook book where I can put notes on each recipe. I go through it once in awhile and throw out recipes I don’t think I will use. My recipes are put in plastic sleeves so they don’t get so stained. I like Ina’s Italian wedding soup and I also make a curried ginger coconut carrot soup that my husband won’t eat but my girlfriends love. I start the soup with Frontier Soups ginger carrot soup , this speeds the process up abit. This is such a great topic thank you for starting it.
...See More
lindac
12 years ago
I love brown lentils....you just think they taste like mud because they LOOK like mud. I make lentil soup much like I make navy bean soup....but with more garlic!...I used to tell my kids it looked just like chocolate soup....and one of them ate it....the other didn't.
Lars
12 years ago
I have never found any lentils that tasted like the mud pies I used to make as a child (I only tried to eat one of them), except for some that I had at a potluck in Austin back in 1972. It was a true potluck, as someone had made the lentils with pot, and they did taste a bit like mud. I still ate them, not knowing why they tasted like mud until about an hour later. By then, they were tasting pretty good, but I was about the only person eating them.

So much for Lentils 101 (or 420) - now to Lentils 501:

Generally when I make lentils, I make a decision on whether to cook them Middle Eastern style, Mediterranean, or Indian. This guides me in what ingredients I use, but I never measure anything and adjust the seasonsing to taste. If I make them Mediterranean style, I thyme, oregano, and basil as the characteristic seasonings. If Middle Eastern, I add Za'Atar and perhaps some extra sumac and a bundle of fresh thyme (It's growing crazy in my yard and so it ends up in a lot of things). For Indian style, I may use a Tandoori mix, garam masala, fennel, cumin, ginger, cilantro, curry powder, and/or other Indian spice mixes that I adjust to my liking. For almost all versions, I add the following vegetables:

onions
potatoes
canned tomatoes
garlic
celery
hot and mild chilies
grated carrot (less than half a carrot per pot)

I normally cook the lentils for about 15 minutes before adding vegetables and flavorings, and I like to add vegetable soup base instead of salt because I feel it is more of a flavor enhancer and I like the flavor better. I add it or salt at the very last. I might add a bit of sugar if I think it needs sweetness, and if it is watery, I will add tomato powder instead of sugar. Usually the carrot will add enough sweetness to it.

I almost always make the mixture somewhat different each time, depending on my mood.

Lars
ynnej
12 years ago
I don't have a recipe but I do love me some lentils! I cook them until soft, then add sauteed onions, garlic, and tomatoes. I spread the lentil mixture on a tortilla, add whatever roasted veggies I have and fry it up (I know, I'm bad, but I love a fried tortilla!) A little sriracha and I'm in heaven.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
12 years ago
I'm not a big lentil fan but I do like red lentils best.
ruthanna_gw
12 years ago
We like all varieties of lentils. I often add some beer to the cooking liquid for brown lentils.

My favorite red lentil recipe is this soup:

LENTIL-APRICOT SOUP (6 Ã¯Â¿Â½ 8 servings)

2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over
8 cups water or more (used part vegetable broth)
2 cups finely minced onion
2/3 cup 1/4" diced carrots
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried mustard
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 cup minced dried apricots
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt or to taste
2 to 4 Tbs. balsalmic vinegar (or to taste)
Black and cayenne peppers to taste
Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

Put lentils and water or broth in a soup pot. Add the onions, carrot, mustard and 1 tsp. of salt. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, adding more water if mixture seems too thick.

Add the garlic and apricots and simmer, covered, for an additional 15 minutes or so. Stir in the vinegar and peppers to taste and correct salt if needed.

Note: You can also add whole cooked chick peas for added texture.
caliloo
12 years ago
Here's another I just got from a friend... he made it for dinner a few nights ago and it was FAB!

Alexa

Curried Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
1 large bunch or 2 small bunches Swiss chard, tough stalks removed, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups)
1 pound red lentils (about 2 1/4 cups)
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
Plain yogurt

PREPARATION
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sautÃÂ© until golden, about 13 minutes. Mix in curry and cayenne.
Add broth and chard. Increase heat; bring to boil. Add lentils and garbanzos; reduce heat to medium. Cover; simmer until lentils are
tender, stirring twice, about 10 minutes. Divide stew among bowls. Top with yogurt.

Serves 6.
Islay_Corbel
12 years ago
The green Puy lentils are the best I think for flavour. Petits salÃ¯Â¿Â½s aux lentilles.
In a large pot, put some de-salted salt pork, onion, carrot slices, garlic, pepper, bay leaf and let it simmer for 1.5 hours. Then add a "Morteau" or "Montbeliard" sausage, and the lentils. Simmer until it's all cooked then taste for seasoning. You can serve the meat on top of the lentils, or you can serve them apart and make a mustardy vinaigrette to put on the lentils.
jessicavanderhoff
12 years ago
When substituting one kind for another, I usually try to just do a quick google to make sure the cooking time is about the same. If you want to sub a longer cooking one in place of a shorter cooking one, you may want to soak them first so they cook faster.
sally2_gw
12 years ago
All the lentil recipes I've made I've posted before in other threads, but I'm glad to get some new recipes. I've copied and pasted several of the above recipes.

I love lentils. I'm glad this thread was started.

Sally

Lentils 101

Comments (11)

caliloo

grainlady_ks

Related Discussions

lindac

Lars

ynnej

Bumblebeez SC Zone 7

ruthanna_gw

caliloo

Islay_Corbel

jessicavanderhoff

sally2_gw

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US