Lentils are my top choice for legumes. Found primarily in Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern, Indian, and French cuisine, they cook faster than most other kinds of beans, are packed with complex earthy flavors and are high in iron and protein in nutritional value. My favorite kind are the lentils du puys -- pronounced like "pwee" -- (or “lentilles du puys” in French) which are small with a dark blue-ish and green hue. They can stand up to stronger flavors for pairing and keep their shape when cooked.
As a kid I didn’t like to eat too much meat and loved it when my Mom made lentil-rice. While my parents ate it with a side of braised lamb cooked in allspice, mine was always served with a spoonful of sugar on top sans the lamb. A kid’s delight! Unfortunately we didn’t eat it often because lentils reminded my parents of hard times when meat prices were higher than their budget in their early years of marriage and they had eaten lentils way too often as they are known to be poor man’s caviar. It was no longer special to them. Since we ate it seldom as I grew up, lentils are a treat I savor with very special memories of my childhood when I want to feel rich.
ingredients:
4 cups lentils du puys soaked several hours in cold water
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste
method:
Sautee onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add turmeric and stir one minute. Rinse soaked lentils and add to the onion mixture. Turn the heat to high and sautee while stirring often for 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add enough water to cover 1 inch over the top of the lentils. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook covered until lentils are semi-soft, about 10-15 mintues. Add tomatoes, cumin, coriander and water as necessary and cook covered on medium-low for another 10-15 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the lentils are done.
suggestions:
Either serve the lentils with rice for vegans or let it become a flavorful bed for serving roasted salmon. Alternatively pair lentils with duck or lamb cooked using either French herbs or Moroccan spices respectively.
where to find:
Lentils du puys (also known as French lentils) can be found in bulk for $1.88/lb. at Rainbow Grocery.
As a kid I didn’t like to eat too much meat and loved it when my Mom made lentil-rice. While my parents ate it with a side of braised lamb cooked in allspice, mine was always served with a spoonful of sugar on top sans the lamb. A kid’s delight! Unfortunately we didn’t eat it often because lentils reminded my parents of hard times when meat prices were higher than their budget in their early years of marriage and they had eaten lentils way too often as they are known to be poor man’s caviar. It was no longer special to them. Since we ate it seldom as I grew up, lentils are a treat I savor with very special memories of my childhood when I want to feel rich.
ingredients:
4 cups lentils du puys soaked several hours in cold water
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste
method:
Sautee onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add turmeric and stir one minute. Rinse soaked lentils and add to the onion mixture. Turn the heat to high and sautee while stirring often for 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add enough water to cover 1 inch over the top of the lentils. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook covered until lentils are semi-soft, about 10-15 mintues. Add tomatoes, cumin, coriander and water as necessary and cook covered on medium-low for another 10-15 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the lentils are done.
suggestions:
Either serve the lentils with rice for vegans or let it become a flavorful bed for serving roasted salmon. Alternatively pair lentils with duck or lamb cooked using either French herbs or Moroccan spices respectively.
where to find:
Lentils du puys (also known as French lentils) can be found in bulk for $1.88/lb. at Rainbow Grocery.
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