Vegetable Caviar
One of the many things I like about lentils is their colorful array: red green, yellow, brown and black, all differing slightly in size. In addition to their colorful looks they are collectively delicious, adding unique earthy flavors. Sometimes lentils still have their skin attached and often they are split versus whole, so it makes sense that they have different cooking times which range anywhere from 10-40 minutes. My favorite is the French De Puy lentil with its caviar-like appearance, brownish-black with green speckles. In India and Egypt they are one of the most common foods and even comprise some of their national dishes. They are abundant in vegetarian dishes and in many stews like chicken and lamb.
(lentils with golden beets and raisins)
(French green lentils - my favorite)
A tremendously healthy and robust food, lentils are a close competitor with soybeans and hemp seeds in their protein content. They have plenty of fiber, folate (a/k/a Vitamin B9) which is particularly good for pregnant women, and loads of minerals and vitamin B1. Since they soak up water in your belly, they provide a satisfying feeling of fullness so you won’t be hungry anytime soon after consuming them. All the way around lentils are a great tasting part of a healthy diet.
(brown lentils)
Lentils grow on bushes which are resistant to draughts. About one-third of the worldwide production comes from India and most of it is consumed in their domestic market.
(summery lentil dip with lime and corn chips)
Not Just Soup
In India it’s called Dahl (a brothy lentil-based soup) and in the states just simply lentil soup. But what about the summer … lentils still have their place in salads (despite soup season being months away). Too bad that often those dishes are not that deliciously prepared – yes I have been listening to the lamentations from my vegetarian spouse about various ready-to-eat store preparations. So I’ve created a recipe which balances the harshness of the earthy lentil with dried fruits and a refreshing bright summer look with golden beets.
Lentil Salad
(recipe yields four portions)
2 cups lentils
1 bunch golden baby beets (4-5 pieces) other colored beets may be substituted
½ cup scallions or four stalks chopped
1 cup dried fruits such as raisins, cranberries, blueberries, apricots
1 orange
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper grindings, to taste
- Combine lentils and 5 cups of water then add 1 teaspoon of salt. On medium heat setting cook lentils until soft (20-30 minutes). If there is still water in the pot strain the lentils it off.
- Cook beets in salted water on medium heat setting until soft (20-30 minutes). Cool beets with cold water then peel. Cut beets into bite sized wedges.
- In a mixing bowl combine beets, scallions, dried fruits, lentils, orange juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, salt and pepper. Use a plastic spatula to combine all ingredients.
Chef’s Tip: Do not use a metal spoon to combine the ingredients it tends to make a mush of the mixture because of the hard-edged spoon.
