Having been raised by an order of nuns from France, eating lentils was as commonplace as eating potatoes for me, both as a child and as an adult today.
I have no recollection of anyone I know that cooks with lentils, nor have I ever attended a dinner with lentils served either as an appetizer or as a side dish, nor lentil soup, never.
That is until I had my first dining experience at Scopazzis restaurant in Boulder Creek. Owner Talal Janbay always placed an appetizer plate on the table the moment you sat down that consisted of olives, a pepperoni pepper and a large spoonful of chilled savory lentils. Spread on a crusty slice of French bread, this was a delicious way to begin your dining experience. Oh…did I mention my icy cold Martini served alongside!
A bag of dry lentils, perhaps from Bob’s Red Mill, is one of those purchases so many make, intending to try them, but somehow, they never get around to it.
Lentils the nuns cooked were green lentils, the Le Puy (Puy, as in preview) variety. Because “we” were Catholic and meat on Fridays was a no-no, bowls of these lentils arrived at our dining tables, in the form of lentil soup. Along with crusty French bread, slathered with butter made from the milk of St. Bernadette, our cow, we girls welcomed Fridays.
Bob’s carries all five lentils: green, red, yellow, black and the most cooked here in the U.S. are the brown variety.
Lentils are legumes, cousins to beans, chickpeas, soybeans and peanuts. A word of caution here, that is, if you have a “peanut or chickpea” allergy, you will want to avoid eating lentils at all costs.
Loaded with health benefits, lentils are a huge source of protein, which is a vital part of the process that carries oxygen throughout your body via your blood cells.
Lentils are a source of fiber, and because they are not processed with any animal by-products, they’re an entirely vegan source of protein.
One cup of cooked lentils has 230 calories, with 0g of saturated fat, 18g of protein, 16g of fiber, 731g of potassium, and, if you are watching your food consumption, eating lentils allows you to remain fuller for longer.
Budget friendly, you can purchase lentils in larger amounts as they have a long shelf life, much like their cousins.
Lentils must have heat and full sun in order to grow successfully. Lentil farms prosper in Montana, the Dakotas and eastern Washington and Idaho.
Lentils grow much like their cousin the green garden pea. However, the lentil pod only contains two lentils per pod. Imagine how many bushes it takes to grow enough for a family. Better left to the lentil farmer.
Hard to find, the green Le Puy lentils have a nutty taste and are ideal in salads that contain a Salsa Verde dressing.
Red and Yellow lentils have a sweeter flavor and are commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Quicker to cook, these lentils lose their texture after being cooked and are better suited to stews and soups.
Black lentils, also known as beluga lentils, have an earthy flavor that pairs well with mushrooms and quinoa.
Lentils are so easy to cook. Simply rinse in a colander, combine 3 cups of water and 1 cup of lentils, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, anywhere from 30-45 minutes or a tad longer. It is as simple as that.
For a simple lentil salad, add diced red onion, along with diced celery, and top with an olive oil and vinegar dressing that may be served as is, or over a bed of shredded lettuce. Healthy and delicious, and best of all, kids love eating these little round “pebbles” of goodness.
Here in our valley the sun is setting earlier, and the evenings are cooler, making for ideal warm and comforting soup and stew dinners. Try the Lentil and Ham Hock Soup recipe below; you will be happy you did.
Lentil and Ham Hock Soup
(Serves 6)
One or two Ham Hocks in 8 cups of water
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp. oregano
1 cup diced onion.
1/2 cup diced celery
4 cloves minced garlic.
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 can (13oz) diced tomatoes.
3 Tbsp. Chicken or Ham flavor Better than Bullion (Optional).
Bring to a boil, turn down to a high simmer and cook covered 1-1/2 hours or until meat falls from bone. Remove meat and set aside.
To broth add 1-1/2 cups of rinsed Brown Lentils.
Bring broth to a high simmer and cook for one hour or until tender.
Colly Gruczelak, a Ben Lomond resident, loves people and loves to cook. Contact her at [email protected].
