A Look at Lentils
by Kathy Humphrey

I don’t like to call names. Labels aren’t my preferred method of dealing with differences of opinion. Some situations, however, demand straight talk, and I am facing one of them. There are food snobs in the crowd, and you know who you are! I am driven to speak by the plight of the common lentil. Lentils—indeed all legumes—are not among the top 10 family mealtime choices, but it is time to turn this situation around. Just because lentils are inexpensive doesn’t mean they’re not valuable. We should celebrate the opportunity to eat food that tastes fantastic and leaves us with smaller grocery bills for a change. There may also be another weakness in our collective psyche that turns us from the legume: laziness. Often, recipes involving lentils or other dried legumes include the words “soak overnight.”

Granted, it is sometimes difficult enough to be in the kitchen, ready to cook, 20 minutes before dinner, let alone 20 hours. There is a way around this: the quick soak. Simply cover your legumes in three to four times their volume of water, bring to a boil and allow to simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat, let stand for one hour, drain well and cook as directed. Remember that one cup of dried yields 2 - 2 1/2 cups cooked.

Lentils show up in cuisines from cultures around the world. Their subtle spicy flavour lends itself equally well to sweet or savoury seasonings. They create complete protein when served with rice, they puree nicely in soups, add bulk to stews, and combine well with other legumes in any type of casserole. Their health benefits are impressive—lentils are an excellent source of B vitamins, iron, other minerals and a high source of dietary fibre. Love a lentil today—you’ll be happy you did!

Braised Lentils

2 slices thick bacon or pancetta, diced (optional)
12 oz green lentils
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 shallots, finely chopped (or substitute 1/2 onion, finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Place lentils in fine colander or sieve: rinse well, discarding any discoloured ones. In thick-bottomed, ovenproof skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Add the bacon and cook until it is slightly browned: add onion, rosemary and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onion is starting to soften (3-5 minutes), then add lentils. Stir well, coating lentils with oil mixture. Add stock, cover and bring to a boil. Move pan to oven and cook for 1 hour or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and vinegar and season to taste. Serve. (Leftovers can make a lovely hearty soup: heat some stock to a boil, add a diced carrot and some diced celery and simmer until tender. Stir in the leftover lentils and simmer until heated through.)

Lentil Loaf

8 oz lentils, soaked overnight
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 onion
2/3 cup tomato juice
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried oregano, basil or herbes de Provence
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper

Drain soaked lentils and place in medium saucepan. Cover with water and add bay leaves and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and boil until tender (about 20-30 minutes), adding salt a few minutes before the end of cooking. Drain. Chop onion and mix with lentils and grated cheese. Add tomato juice and well-beaten eggs and season heavily with herbs and salt and pepper. Mix well with hands and press into loaf tin. Bake in pre-heated 350˚F oven for one hour. Allow to sit for 15 minutes in pan after removing from oven, then turn out of pan. Leave until completely cool. Serve.

Meatless Shepherd’s Pie

8 oz lentils, soaked overnight
2 1/3 cups vegetable stock
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1 lb mashed potatoes
1 bay leaf
2 onions, sliced
1 tsp mixed dried herbs (basil, oregano, parsley)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Strain lentils: cook in 450 ml of the stock with the bay leaf until tender (about 20-30 minutes). Drain, season with salt. Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Fry onions until golden. Stir in flour: add rest of stock gradually, stirring continually until smooth. Mix in lentils: add herbs and season to taste. Scoop lentil mixture into bottom of ovenproof dish, smooth mashed potatoes over, and bake for 1 hour, or until bubbling.

Kathy Humphrey lives in Victoria with her husband and two children. She tries to see cooking for a family not as a chore but as a creative outlet.