KSRO LENTIL RECIPES
SPICY LENTILS
Makes 1 quart
Delicious served cold as a salad with greens or hot as an accompaniment to simply prepared meats, chicken and sausages.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots or green onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup diced carrots
1/3 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo (or to taste)
8 ounces green or brown lentils
2 – 3 cups clear vegetable or chicken stock or water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a saucepan over medium heat add the oil, shallots, garlic, carrots, celery and shiitakes. Sauté slowly until soft but not brown. Add the vinegar and chipotles. Raise the heat to high and stir for 3-4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add the lentils and stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender but still firm and not mushy. Add more stock if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
A VERY SIMPLE MEXICAN LENTIL SOUP
Make 2 quarts serving 6
Extremely easy to make this is a base for all sorts of additions and leftovers. A favorite is to top the hot soup with a simple green salad . . . soup and salad in one bowl!
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, washed and chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
6 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cup dried green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons oregano, Mexican preferred
2 cups home made or store-bought fresh salsa or Pico de gallo; heat level to your taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup Queso Anejo or Crema
Heat the oil in a soup pot over moderately high heat and add the garlic, onion and carrots and cook, stirring until they soften and are just beginning to brown. Add the water, lentils, cumin and salsa to the pot and stir. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook partially covered until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. If lentils are still firm, cook for a few minutes longer. Season to your taste with salt and pepper and serve with a sprinkling of queso anejo or a drizzle of crema.
BLACK LENTIL SALAD WITH FETA CHEESE AND CUMIN
Serves 4 – 6
This is a delicious salad that could use any lentil besides the black lentils specified. Lentils come in all colors of the rainbow from white to yellow, orange, red, brown, green and black. Each cooks in a different amount of time and for this recipe you want to make sure that whichever you use is cooked through but not mushy. Black lentils are available in gourmet stores and from Purcell Mountain Farms www.purcellmountainfarms.com .
2 cups water or vegetable stock
Sea salt
1 cup black beluga lentils
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper; charred, peeled and seeded and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup pitted and diced olives such as Cerignola
Cumin Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint
Freshly ground pepper
1 medium cucumber, peeled and very thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 cup seeded and diced firm, ripe tomato
3/4 cup drained feta cheese cut into small dice
Garnish: Fresh daikon or sunflower sprouts, if desired
Bring water or stock and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil and add lentils. Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are just tender but still a little firm. Drain and toss them while still warm with the red pepper, onions, olives and vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and mint when salad has cooled. Arrange the cucumbers attractively in a single layer on plates and mound the salad on top. Sprinkle tomatoes and feta on top and garnish with sprouts.
Cumin Vinaigrette
Makes about 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon roasted or poached garlic, mashed
1 teaspoon finely grated lime or lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot or green onion
1/2 teaspoon seeded and finely chopped jalapeno or serrano chile
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/3 cup or so olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Whisk all the ingredients together except cilantro and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before using. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper and additional lime juice if desired. Stir in cilantro just before using.
John Ash © 2018
