What do I do with lentils?

[lorihadams]

I know they are good for you, I know they are good in soups, but other than that what do you do with them? Also, what are they supposed to be like, texture-wise, when cooked...I put some in my latest batch of soup and DH complained cause they were a little firm. Anyone got any good ideas for green/brown lentils?

 

[Beekissed]

I know they are good for you, I know they are good in soups, but other than that what do you do with them? Also, what are they supposed to be like, texture-wise, when cooked...I put some in my latest batch of soup and DH complained cause they were a little firm. Anyone got any good ideas for green/brown lentils?

Yeah....throw them out to the chickens!!! NOT a lentil fan!

 

[keljonma]

Here are 4 recipes we make often. You could try soaking them a bit before cooking so they aren't so firm. Some recipes I make call for cooking the lentils in liquid until the liquid is absorbed, which helps soften them also.

This recipe from Mollie Katzen is good.

Lentil Chili
4 cups dried lentilsany kind
6 to 7 cups water (tomato juice can be substituted for about 2 cups water)
1 16 oz can tomatoes, or 3 to 4 large ripe fresh tomatoes (peeling optional), chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or about 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme)
1 1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
6 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar or cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste

Optional Toppings: Thin slices of sharp cheddar, Sour cream, Salsa, A handful of toasted cashews, Minced fresh parsley and/or cilantro

Place lentils and 6 cups of water in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and lower the heat to a simmer. Leave it this way for about 30 minutes, checking it every now and then to be sure it isn't cooking any faster than a gentle simmer. (You can chop the vegetables during this time.)

Add tomatoes, cumin, paprika, thyme, garlic, and onions. Stir, mostly cover again, and let it cook for another 30 minutes or so. Check the water level as it cooks, and add water or tomato juice in 1/4-cup increments as needed, to prevent dryness. Stir from the bottom every several minutes during the cooking.

Add salt and tomato paste. Stir and continue to simmer slowly, partially covered, until the tomato paste is all blended in... about 10 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, adjusting the seasonings to taste. Serve hot, with some or all of the optional toppings.

If you like Indian food, this one is good.

Lentil Dhal
3 T butter
1 onion, chopped
2 green chillies, seeded and chopped
1 T chopped fresh root ginger
1 cup yellow or red lentils
3 3/4 cup water
3 T roasted garlic puree
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
7 oz tomatoes, peeled and diced
A little lemon juice
Salt and pepper
3 - 4 T coriander sprigs, fried onion and garlic slices - for garnish

For the whole spice mix:
2 T peanut oil
4-5 shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 T butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 - 4 small red chillies
8 - 10 fresh curry leaves

Melt the butter in a large pan and cook the onion, chillies and ginger for 10 minutes until golden. Stir in the lentils and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and partially cover the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 50 to 60 minutes, until soup-like.

Stir in the roasted garlic puree, cumin and ground coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes uncovered, stirring frequently.

Stir in the tomatoes and then adjust the seasoning, adding a little lemon juice to taste.

To make the spice mix, heat the oil in a small heavy pan. Add the shallots and fry over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and browned. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic colors slightly. Use a draining spoon to remove the shallot mixture from the pan and set aside.

Melt the butter in the same pan. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and fry until the mustard seeds pop. Stir in the chillies, curry leaves and shallot mixture, then swirl the mixture into the cooked dhal. Garnish and serve.

Two good recipes to use lentils...

Lentil Salad with Red Onions and Garlic
3 T olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
3 3/4 cup veggie stock
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Small bunch of fresh coriander or parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving

Heat 2 T of the oil in a large pan and fry the onions until soft. Add the tomatoes, turmeric and cumin, then stir in the lentils.

Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed.

In a separate pan, fry the garlic in the remaining 1 T oil until it is golden brown. Toss the garlic into the lentils with the fresh coriander, salt and pepper.

Serve warm or at room temperature with wedges of lemon.


Lentil & Veggie Frittata
Scant 1/2 cup green lentils
8 oz small broccoli florets
2 red onions, halved and thickly sliced
2 T olive oil
8 eggs
3 T milk or water
Pinch of salt and pepper
3 T chopped mixed herbs: oregano, parsley, tarragon, chives
6 oz cherry tomatoes
Parsley to garnish

Place the lentils in a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until tender. Add the broccoli, return the boil and cook for 1 minute.

Meanwhile, place the onion slices and olive oil in a shallow earthenware dish about 9 to 10 inches wide (like pie dish), and place in unheated oven. Set the oven to 400 and cook for 25 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the herbs. Drain the lentils and broccoli and stir into the onions. Add the cherry tomatoes. Stir gently to distribute.

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the veggies. Reduce the oven temperature to 375. Return the dish to the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove and push the mixture into the center of the dish using a spatula, allowing the raw mixture in the center to flow to the edges.

Return the dish to the oven and cook for 15 minutes more, or until it is just set. Garnish and serve warm.

 

[sylvie]

Lentil Soup with Greens

1/2c Lentils, sorted, rinsed
2 quarts water plus more as needed
2 Potatoes, cut in half lengthwise & sliced 1/4 inch thick( peel on)
1 Onion, chopped
1/4 bag fresh Baby Spinach or 2 Swiss Chard leaves chopped
1 Lemon slice for juice (optional)
Salt to taste

Bring lentils to boil in water and simmer till almost tender.
Add everything else and and slow simmer for about an hour until lentils tender, potatoes cooked through.
I place it on my woodstove for a couple hours and check water level, adding if needed to keep it a soup instead of a stew.

I never liked lentils until I had this. Now I love the fragrance and flavor of lentils.

I made a Lentil Pate' from Martha Stewart's site for Christmas Eve, but the other foods served overwhelmed this delicate dish and it was a flop.

 

[patandchickens]

Most people prefer them cooked til they are pretty soft, so maybe just a bit more cooking time would help. Larger browner/greener lentils take more cooking time than smaller or red/orange lentils, IME.

I am not super keen on them as a major ingredient unless there is also some form of sausage, ham, bacon, etc in the dish to balance out the flavor. I have had "lentilburgers" where someone cooked 'em up pretty thoroughly, drained, mashed, added small amounts of seasonings and other ingredients I think, and fried them up as vegetarian hamburger type things. Enh. It didn't kill me, but I don't actually do it myself

Chickens like lentils too


Pat

 

[me&thegals]

Keljonma--are you a cookbook author in your real life?!? Wow! The variety and breadth of your recipes is stunning! Thanks

We enjoy them in soup, although they're not my favorite legume, either. I will also be trying out some of the recipes above.

 

[keljonma]

Keljonma--are you a cookbook author in your real life?!? Wow! The variety and breadth of your recipes is stunning! Thanks

We enjoy them in soup, although they're not my favorite legume, either. I will also be trying out some of the recipes above.

Thanks! I've had a few positions in the food industry, but haven't ever written a cookbook. Honestly, I have been cooking since I was 9. I think creating, testing and collecting recipes is a genetic defect - which I inherited from my beloved mother.

Whenever I find a restaurant with a great recipe, I ask the kitchen for the recipe. You might be surprised how many will give it to you. Also, if I see a recipe that sounds interesting, I usually try it and then tweak it if I think it is a keeper. That translates to lots of years of - "Let's feed this to the dog....."


edited for spelling...

 

[keljonma]

Lentil Soup with Greens

1/2c Lentils, sorted, rinsed
2 quarts water plus more as needed
2 Potatoes, cut in half lengthwise & sliced 1/4 inch thick( peel on)
1 Onion, chopped
1/4 bag fresh Baby Spinach or 2 Swiss Chard leaves chopped
1 Lemon slice for juice (optional)
Salt to taste

Bring lentils to boil in water and simmer till almost tender.
Add everything else and and slow simmer for about an hour until lentils tender, potatoes cooked through.
I place it on my woodstove for a couple hours and check water level, adding if needed to keep it a soup instead of a stew.

I never liked lentils until I had this. Now I love the fragrance and flavor of lentils.

I made a Lentil Pate' from Martha Stewart's site for Christmas Eve, but the other foods served overwhelmed this delicate dish and it was a flop.

Thanks, sylvie. I'm going to try this one.

 

[keljonma]

Another good recipe for green lentils

Garlic Flavored Lentils with Carrot and Sage

3/4 cup green lentils, rinsed and picked over
3 - 4 T fruity olive oil
1 onion, cut in quarters and sliced along the grain
3 - 4 plump cloves garlic, roughly chopped and bruised
1 tsp coriander seeds
A handful of dried sage leaves
1 - 2 tsp sugar
4 carrots, sliced
1 cup water
1 - 2 T tomato puree (paste)
Salt and pepper
1 bunch fresh sage or parsley for garnish

Heat the oil in a heavy pan, stir in the onion, garlic, coriander seeds, sage and sugar and cook until the onion begins to color. Toss in the carrots and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add the lentils and water, making sure the lentils and carrots are covered. Stir in the tomato puree and cover the pan. Cook the lentils and carrots gently for about 20 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. The lentils and carrots should both be tender, but still have some bite. Season.

Garnish and serve hot or at room temperature.

 

[lorihadams]

Thanks all! We'll definitely have to try some of these.