French Lentil Salad

I am a girl on the go. Between grad school, part-time jobs, and the return of gardening season, only so much of my day can be dedicated to the many, ever-changing culinary adventures I dream up. So when it comes to actually getting in the kitchen and cooking, I often try to develop healthful recipes yielding meals that can be eaten now, later, or several days or weeks from their initial preparation.

This fabulous vegetarian lentil salad, featuring raisins, walnuts, feta, and fresh mint, certainly fits the bill and is loaded with flavor and nutrients. Pair it with some sauteed greens and whole wheat pita bread, brown rice, or roasted winter squash and you've got yourself one tasty meal.

French Lentil Salad
Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked French lentils (can substitute black lentils, pictured above)
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup raisins, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 6 scallions or 1 small spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup mint, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

To toast the walnuts: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F; toast walnuts until fragrant, about 10 minutes (they should not brown much or at all).

In a small pot, combine the lentils and water and bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer the lentils until tender (not mushy!), or for about 20-25 minutes. Add the raisins and let simmer another minute or two. If there is excess water remaining in the pot, drain the lentils in a fine mesh sieve.

In a bowl, combine the lentil-raisin mixture with the walnuts, scallion or onion, olive oil, and lemon juice and gently toss; add the feta and mint just prior to serving, toss, and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.


Rebekah

Image by Rebekah Carter (2012). Recipe adapted from Didi Emmons' Entertaining for a Veggie Planet.

Red Lentils and Cabbage

All this soggy weather paired with cooler temperatures sure has my body and mind preparing for the arrival of autumn. Salads and crudités were summer mealtime staples, but it's time to transition back to warmer fare. With a large head of Napa in the fridge, a lone tomato on the counter, and plenty of lentils in the cupboard, this slightly sweet and spicy dish was practically calling my name.
Serve it with rice or naan and enjoy.

Red Lentils and Cabbage

Makes 4-6 side servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c red lentils
• 5 c water
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 4 tbsp cooking oil (I used walnut)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• about 3/4-1 lb cabbage, shredded or sliced thin (I used Napa)
  
• 1-2 hot peppers, sliced thin (optional)
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
  

Directions:

Place water and lentils in a medium to large pot and bring to a boil; remove foam floating on the water surface. Add the curry powder and stir; cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and turn the heat down to low. Gently simmer lentils for about an hour; be sure to occasionally stir them during the last 30 minutes so they do not stick to the bottom of the pot.

When the lentils are almost done cooking, add the ginger and tomato to the pot; stir well and cover. In a large pan or pot over medium heat, add the cooking oil. When hot, add the cumin seeds and gently toast them for about half a minute. Add the garlic; as the pieces begin to brown, add the onions, peppers, and cabbage, stirring to incorporate all ingredients. Turn up the heat slightly and stir fry the mixture for several minutes. Add the lentils to the cabbage mixture; simmer another 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.


Rebekah

Image by Rebekah Carter (2011). Recipe adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking via smitten kitchen.

Ginger-Garlic Lentil Soup

For Massachusetts residents, the month of April brings about many simple pleasures: continued seed starting (or visits to seedling sales like those at Waltham Fields), garden bed preparation and planting, the return of Red Sox-everything, the blossoming of trees and perennial flowers, Marathon Monday, and those few, sporadic days of unseasonably warm weather that tease us with visions of summer. Much as those days entice many to throw on tank tops, shorts, and sandals long before it seems truly appropriate, warm April days still leave us with chilly evenings and nights, never mind the more frequent rain showers we tend to experience. And so I share with you my recipe for a bold and delicious lentil soup, featuring freshly-grated ginger and garlic to help keep you in good health during our seasonal transition from the cold to the warm.

Ginger-Garlic Lentil Soup

The Ingredients:
(approximations for 6-8 servings; adjust to your needs and tastes)

• 1/2+ c carrots, diced
• 1/2+ c celery, diced
• 3/4+ c onion, diced
• 1 1/2 tbsp garlic, finely grated
  
• 1 1/2 tbsp ginger, finely grated
• 1/2 c cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 c fenugreek, dry or fresh, chopped
  
• 2-3 tbsp preferred fat (I recommend chicken schmaltz if you have it; butter or oil work fine, too)
  
• hot red pepper flake (optional)
• 3+ tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
  
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
  
• 1 1/2 c dry brown lentils (more or less depending if you want a thick/thin soup)
• 1 bay leaf (if not used in your stock)
• 1/8-1/4 c vinegar (white, red, or apple cider work well)
  
• 2 1/2+ quarts (80 fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock (click here to learn how to make your own)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• dash of white pepper
  
• salt to taste
  

How to Make it:

In a large stock pot over low heat, sweat your mirepoix veggies, garlic, ginger, cilantro, and fenugreek in your preferred fat (you should barely hear your veggies hissing as they are cooking). After your veggies have softened (about 8-10 minutes), add your hot red pepper flake (if using), curry, cumin, and coriander powders, mixing well; cook this mixture for 2-3 minutes. Add your dry lentils and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add your bay leaf, vinegar, mustard, pepper, and stock; give the pot a good stir and check if you need to add more salt. Cook over medium-high to high heat just until the soup begins to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until the lentils become tender, about 30-40 minutes. Garnish with some fresh scallion and enjoy!


My Two Cents, in no particular order:

When making this soup, I had an open bottle of pinot noir on hand, so I did half red wine vinegar and half straight-up red wine (a good splash of each, about a 1/4 c total). Beer might work well, too, but I haven't tried it for this soup! For the garlic and ginger, I used a grater-zester, which results in a paste; if you like to have little garlic and ginger chunks in your soup, by all means forgo this step and simply mince these ingredients. An easy way to remove the skin from ginger is to scrape it off with a spoon. Mustard is a great flavor-enhancer for most soups, but should be used with discretion; you really shouldn't be able to taste the mustard! So add it little by little, say a 1/4 tsp at a time, giving the pot a good stir and tasting the soup as you go. And as with all dishes and soups, it's recommended that you add salt with each new ingredient (or group of ingredients) to best draw out their flavors. However, depending on the saltiness of your stock, you may want to add less or more. It's a good idea to taste the stock before starting your soup if you are unsure of its sodium content. If you couldn't tell by now, continuous sampling is an essential part of preparing successful meals!

Rebekah

Recipe and images by Rebekah Carter (2011).