Recipes on Monday

How many different ways can you say

lentils?

Last week, when I read M3's Salsa in China blog about the really cool way to keep the kiddos happy for hours on end when housebound (check it out) and she mentioned she doesn't use lentils to cook with, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the famous (or infamous) bean.

To me, lentils are one of those miracle foods. You can do just about anything with them and they are loaded with all the good stuff. True, lentils have suffered from a poor image to many. From the fear of repeat performances (of the intestinal nature) and the misguided image it has that hours of soaking are required, the poor lentil has been misrepresented.

Well, I for one will set the record straight.

Lentils are simply great!

(above - soup #1 - regular)

(above - soup #2 - oriental)

I usually make a simple lentil soup as a base and add whatever I want. And we have some variety of lentils probably every other day. Sometimes no one even knows we're actually eating lentils as I'll ground them up and put them in other dishes or recipes. I probably use more lentils than most because Danny is quasi vegetarian. (He does eat fish, eggs and dairy - just no meat or poultry.....that he knows of..........ahem..........master pureer here. Hey, he needs the protein....'k?)

The basic recipe comes from my buddy Helen who is Greek (aka they really know what to do with a bean, herb,oil and just about anything else). And I just add a whole bunch of stuff to it. Here is the simple base.

(Note - I don't have the exact measurements so I'm just winging it here.)

Lentil Soup Base

- Brown Lentils (no soaking required) about 1/2 bag

(I sometimes add green or mung beans but the browns break down much faster)

- about 3 cups tomato juice (the acid breaks down the lentil - thus no soaking)

- 2 or 3 cups chicken stock

- chopped leeks, chalots or onions

(you can fry these up or not - it doesn't really matter)

- a few cloves of garlic

- 3 or more bay leaves

3 or more tbsp olive oil

- about a tsp oregano and basil

fresh basil, if you have

Bring everything to a boil and leave it simmer for an hour or two or more. The broth will thicken naturally and you can add more liquid if needed. I refrigerate containers of this and freeze them too and can add anything to it when I need it.

Like

- mixed chopped veggies (all kinds)

- ground beef, pork, soy or chicken

- chopped spinach

So last night I made two pots. One regular and one oriental. We went to the Chinese market yesterday so I had the right stuff.

The coriander and ginger (along with the shallots and garlic) went into pot #2.

The garlic, shallots, basil and spinache into pot #1.

(soup #1)
And here's what I added to pot #2. The oriental soup.

- 2 cups brown lentils
- 1 cup green mung beans
-2 cups tomatoes juice
-2 cups chicken broth
- small can coconut milk (add near the end)
- shallots/ garlic
- about 4 tbsp chopped coriander
- about 1 or 2 or 3 tbsp chopped ginger (to taste - I can eat it raw...mmm love it)
- citronelle (that's that long skinny thing in the second picture,
it's lemony and essential for the taste)
- Kaffir leaves (also essential_ that's lime)
-bamboo shoots (spears)
-straw mushrooms
- baby bok choy
- a bit of red chili pste (if you like a kick)
- a good dollop of sesame oil
- sesame seeds and coriander for garnish

Again, bring it all to a boil and simmer for an hour or two. Add more broth if needed.

(baby bok choy)


(soup #2 - getting yummy looking)

(soup #1 - almost done)

A peek at my spice cupboard.

(there's the spinach)

(added the coconut milk to #2)

These babies look just about ready.



Bon appetite !

Oriental soup


Basic lentil soup

And the ultimate soup testing bowl.

They just lap it up!


Be sure to pop by Colleen's site for more recipe ideas.

And have a great week!