So Edible is a monthly feature with recipes and cooking tips to inspire eating fresh home-made food.
I can feel it in the air, the shift towards fall. Along with hints of crisper air and waning daylight come thoughts of hearty braised dishes and roasted root vegetables. Lentils are a perfect ingredient for transitioning into cooking more robust fall dishes. They have the hearty comfort food factor, but without the long cooking times that beans require.
Lentils don’t need to be pre-soaked and cook in 20 to 45 minutes depending on the variety. There are numerous types with brown lentils being the most commonly available. Brown lentils are larger than other varieties and can become mushy if overcooked, so if using them for a salad where it’s important they hold their shape, make sure to error on the side of undercooked with this variety.
Trendy bistros and fancy restaurants generally serve specialty varieties such as black beluga, Spanish pardina, du Pur or French green lentils. These varieties are smaller and rounder in shape. The most visually stunning are the black beluga that cook up jet black and shiny, reminiscent of beluga caviar. In addition to the lovely appearance these smaller varieties of lentils retain their shape and firmness once cooked so they make an elegant presentation and are an excellent choice for lentil salads. Red and French green lentils are available in many grocery stores but he black and pardina varieties can be a little more difficult to find.
Red lentils, a rather pedestrian name for these gorgeous salmon pink delicate little disks, are the quickest cooking of them all. The hulls have been removed and the lentils split open so in about 20 minutes they are ready to serve. Unfortunately once cooked the salmon pink color fades to a golden yellow. One of my favorite ways to use red lentils is in an Ethiopian dish called Misser Wot. It’s a simple stew of onions and lentils seasoned with the spectacular and fiery berbere spice blend. It’s one of the most economical dishes you can make and it’s vegan, so if you need to feed a crowd of people this Spicy Red Lentil Stew is a great recipe to have in your arsenal.
Adding lentils to a braised dish is an easy way to cook a protein and side dish all at once. This Braised Chicken with Lentils and Yogurt uses French green lentils and is seasoned with the incredibly alluring Indian spice mix, garam masala. The warm aromas of cinnamon, clove, and cardamom dominate this spice blend which is available at any specialty spice shop and most grocery stores. World Spice on Western Avenue has one of my favorite versions of this blend called Kashmiri Garam Masala.
Eastern Washington offers the arid growing conditions that lentils require and what do you know, Washington is the #1 lentil producing state in the nation accounting for 43% of the lentils grown in this country. And you thought it was just Apples and cherries. Interestingly much of the Washington lentil crop is exported and farmers have found the specialty varieties like pardina and red lentils to be in high demand from Spain and Asia respectively.
Before cooking lentils, it’s important to rinse them well and sort through them to remove any stray pebbles. To cook them straight, use 4 cups of water for every cup of lentils and simmer until they are tender. You get all the great protein, fiber and nutrient content of beans, but they are as easy to cook as rice. I hope you will stock your pantry and enjoy them regularly as we move into our “rainy and 40˚F” season.
Here are a few other lentil recipes from around the web to try:
Carol Peterman
Carol writes the blog feature, So Edible, a monthly post with recipes and cooking tips to inspire eating fresh homemade food. Carol is the owner of TableFare, a company developing unique kitchen products that combine the best of form and function to create superior usability and beauty. As a passionate cook obsessed with spices, she loves to inspire others to cook and share their food experiences. She writes the blog mix, mix...stir, stir on TableFare.com, teaches cooking classes to low-income families as a volunteer with Operation Frontline, and is always ready for a food adventure. Connect with Carol onTwitter @TableFare and Facebook.
* This post is from a Girl Power Hour featured blogger. It is not written, edited or endorsed by Girl Power Hour. The authors are solely responsible for content.
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Courtney Dirks
09.22.2010
I thought it was just apples and cherries too! You learn something new everyday. Funny coming across this article on GPH as I just bought white lentils from the tiny Middle Eastern market in Pike Place. Going to test out some new recipes ASAP!
Carol Peterman
09.23.2010
Courtney – I’ve never come across white lentils. Have fun experimenting with them.