Lentils are tiny, lens-shaped seeds. Any busy home cook should learn to love lentils, because they cook up in no time. You can come home from work, put on a pot of dried lentils, and have dinner ready 15-30 minutes later.
Before we start cooking, let's get to know three of the most common varieties of lentils:
Red lentils, which look more orange than red. These are great in soups and curries because they go from al dente to mush in a matter of seconds.
American lentils, which are an off-beige, green color. I like these lentils paired with ham hocks.
Lentilles du Puy were classically grown in the Le Puy region of France. Look for their distinctive speckled coloring. They have a nice toothsome-ness to them, which makes them nice in salads.
Some tips before you get going:
Simply Cooked Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup onions or shallots, minced
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 branch of thyme
- 5 black peppercorns, crushed
- 2 slices of lemon
- 3 cups water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the lentils to remove any dust. Remove any off-colored lentils. Drain well.
- Heat olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the garlic. Cook until toasted and golden. Quickly add onion and lemon slices and stir. Cook until soft.
- Add the remaining ingredients and cover with water. Simmer until cooked tender but not mushy, adding additional water if needed. (Do not add more water than needed or it will dilute the earthy flavor and you aromatic seasonings!) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread in a glass baking dish and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until needed.
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