Black or green and in soup.

Adapted from Patricia Wells' Bistro Cooking:

Ingredients:
1/2 package of bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped well
1 or 2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 whole cloves
2 1/4 quarts of chicken stock
1 pound organic lentils
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs unsalted butter or olive oil
Smoked sausage (I use Adelle's or something similar.)

Brown the bacon in the bottom of the pot, then remove the bacon leaving the drippings behind.
Next, add the cumin, chopped onion, carrot, and celery, garlic, and the 4 whole cloves and saute.

Then add the lentils and bay leaves, add the chicken stock. Season to taste.
Simmer covered for about 40 minutes.
Slice the sausage into rounds, and saute in a little olive oil or butter. When browned, add to the soup, and simmer gently, uncovered.

I think it tastes better reheated, so I usually make it in the morning, and then serve for dinner.

I love lentils, all kinds. I use red lentils in this soup. It's from Eating Well or Cooking Light, I don't remember which one. I sub my own homemade kielbasa or italian sausage for the turkey stuff.

Lentil and Sausage Soup
Yield: 12 cups (3L)
Servings: 8

1 cup (255g) lentils, uncooked
1/2 pound (230g) turkey kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces
1 cup (180g) onion, chopped
1 cup (150g) celery, chopped
1 cup (150g) carrots, chopped
1 cup (180g) potato, diced
2 Tbsp (5g) parsley
6 cups beef broth, (canned or made with bouillion) (1.5L)
1/2 tsp (2g) black pepper
1/8 tsp (1g) nutmeg
Wash and drain lentils. Spray a large pot with vegetable oil spray and brown sausage. Add onion and cook until translucent.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Note: If using a crockpot, place all raw ingredients in the pot and simmer all day, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts
Calories: 246
Total Fat: 8g
% Calories from fat: 29%
Protein: 19g
Carbohydrate: 24g
Cholesterol: 19mg
Sodium: 1288mg

Annie

I love lentil soup also but my favorite way to use them is for lentil salad.

LENTIL SALAD

8 ounces lentils (I use the bags of mixed colors)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and sliced thinly (I use my roasted roma tomatoes)
2 tablespoons chopped herbs (parsley, thyme, oregano)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vinaigrette (see below)
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips, cooked until crisp, and drained
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, bay leaves, thyme, carrot, celery, shallot, and garlic. Cook until vegetables are soft. Cover with water by 1-inch, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until just tender yet still firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and discard the bay leaves, and thyme. Place the lentil mixture in a large bowl and set aside to cool. Add the tomatoes and chopped herbs and toss the lentils with some of the vinaigrette.

Top with bacon and goat cheese and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Serve with crusty bread or fish or chicken.

Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable oil

Whisk together the vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt and pepper. Then beat in the oil by drops, whisking constantly. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Use at once or cover and refrigerate, whisking or shaking again before use.

/tricia

triciae - Your lentil salad recipe sounds great. Do you know how much it makes - approx. servings?

I've never measured it but it easily serves six people as a side dish. Used as an entree topped with a piece of grilled fish or chicken it would be more than adequate for four (with some leftover, probably).

/tricia

How about orange lentils? I recall someone here saying that they have a different- less cooking time? I have a bag in the pantry that I'd like to use up. Both recipes sound like winners!
Also, besides epazote, is there anything else that reduces the "bloat" factor?

One nice thing about lentils is that they can be cooked without presoaking in a fairly short time. They cook quickly. (Corollary: they overcook easily, too.)

I love the orange ones (usually called "red" I think). We use them for a very easy Lebanese/Dearborn style soup: 2C red lentils, 7C water, 1 onion chopped. Simmer about 40 minutes. Mix about 2T flour, 1tsp cumin (or more to taste), salt and pepper to taste in 1/4C olive oil, mix into soup. Add juice of a lemon, cook a bit longer. Serve with lemon wedges for customizable lemony goodness. Leftovers are good but may need more lemon--it seems to fade.

It's about the only thing I cook that both I and my 3 year old will eat.

I made my first pot of lentil-mushroom-barley soup of the fall season last weekend.

Because lentils need no presoak and they cook quickly, I frequently improvise a lentil soup. Usually my soup has olive oil, carrots, onion, celery and tomatoes, but it varies depending on what vegetables I have on hand.

Last night, as a large portion just for myself, I started by sauteing chopped onions, celery and mild/medium chiles in olive oil. Then I added a rounded teaspoon of curry powder and a rounded teaspoon of powdered chile. After briefly stirring and cooking, I added a chopped tomato, a half cup or so of lentils and some water. This was cooked for about 40 min. and seasoned with salt. It was a success, if I do say so myself. But then, I had only myself to please. :-)

Jim

This recipe was voted among the top 25 of several hundred recipes in my "Epicurean Kitchen Garden" classes:

LENTIL SOUP WITH ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE
Serves 6

Ingredients

4 ½ cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
4 ½ cups beef stock or canned broth
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup chopped onion
6 ounces Andouille sausage, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or any firm, smoked sausage)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ teaspoon Creole seasoning

Directions

Combine both stocks and lentils in large pot over high heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat medium skillet over medium heat. Add fennel; sauté until seeds are light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove seeds from skillet.

Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add celery, carrot and onion; sauté until onion is translucent and celery and carrot are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add toasted fennel seeds, sautéed vegetables, sausage, thyme and Creole seasoning to soup. Cover and simmer until lentils are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Re-warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.)

Joe

I forgot to post the recipe.

BARLEY-LENTIL SOUP

Put in 3 quart pot:

1 large or 2 small carrots, sliced
1 medium to large onion, chopped
1 or 2 stalks sliced celery
1 peeled garlic clove stuck on a toothpick
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped or 1/2 can of diced tomatoes
1 can beef broth or equivalent amount of fresh
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1/2 cup of beer (optional but my secret ingredient)
water to fill pot about 3/4 full
salt, pepper to taste and a dash of Worcestershire sauce

You can also add chopped peppers if you like a spicier soup or some diced soaked dried mushrooms.

When liquid is boiling, add:

1 cup lentils
1/4 cup of barley

Turn heat down to a fast simmer (medium-low on my stove), cover, and cook until barley is done, stirring occasionally and adding more hot water if needed.

Then add some sliced mushrooms. You can also add some chopped spinach and cook about 10 more minutes. Stir in chopped fresh parsley when soup is done.

Here is a favorite, posted by Debbie a couple of years ago.

Cucina!Cucina Lentil Soup
Bon Appètit

1 1/2 cups lentils rinsed thoroughly
4 links (1 lb.) Italian sausage (mild is used in the restaurant)
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced leek, white part only
1/4 cup diced celery
1 TBSP salt
1/2 TSP. ground white pepper (or black)
1 QT. Chicken Stock (I use Swanson's low sodium)
2 TBSP Dijon Mustard
1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar (Regina)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup fresh spinach coarsely chopped, divided use
Grated Parmesan Cheese to Taste

In a heavy bottom 2 QT saucepot, add the butter and olive oil. Heat to melt the
butter, then add the sausage links and brown evenly on all sides. (While the
sausage is cooking, reduce the heat so the butter does not burn) Cook the
sausage for about 5 minutes, or until the center is done. Then remove from the
pan and allow to cool. (they will be sliced and added back later)

After removing the sausage, add the onions, carrots, celery, leeks and seasonings
to the pot. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender (about 2
minutes). I found that it took more like 5 minutes. Then add the lentils and chicken
stock, stir briefly and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to prevent the lentils from
sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the soup starts to boil, reduce the heat to
low, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. While the soup is
simmering, slice the sausage.

When the lentils are tender add the cream, sausage, mustard, vinegar and 3/4 cup
of the spinach. Stir to mix all the ingredients well. Return the soup to a boil, then
reduce heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve in warm bowls garnished with fresh spinach and parmesan cheese.

I like red lentils best and prefer them in salads such as tricia posted. I cook them so they are tender/crunchy.

If you are looking for something a bit different than soup there are Lentil Patties. This is a very old recipe of BIL's GM. I don't know the exact measurements. This has been a Thanksgiving tradition on our table for the 36 years I've known him. He insists on my MIL's cranberry sauce with the lintel patties.

Grandma Hanson's Lentil Patties

1 cup cooked lentils
1/2 cup cooked rice
crackers or 2-3 slices of toasted bread, crumbled
1-2 small onions, chopped finely

Mix all ingredients and mash.

Add
2 eggs
A little flour
Salt if needed
Enough milk so it's not too dry.

Form into patties and fry in a little oil.

We have always had these plain patties. But as I think about it, the addition of a few herbs and freshly ground pepper would be good. A mushroom gravy sounds good too.

Ruthanna,
That soup looks fabulous! I love barley... never cooked with it though. Dunno why, really? I've copied and pasted, both, the recipe and the picture of the wonderful looking soup!
This will be made soon. I was just telling DH it's time for soup! Thank you for sharing, Ruthanna.

Silly

Can I make them (red lentils) ahead? The night before or in the morning for dinner or is it best to make them in the afternoon?

Thanks everyone for the great recipes I am printing them and will try one this weekend.

Melissa