The lentil is not sexy.
Staple crops tend not to be, their utilitarian natures driving them toward a more sustaining role in the culinary spectrum. Lentils do travel from soups to salads to main dishes effortlessly and, in the Palouse region of Eastern Washington, where a third of the U.S. lentil crop is grown, cooks have been known to incorporate the legume into everything from pancakes to chocolate cake.
Such versatility ought to gain lentils some level of existence on the A-list. Instead, it’s relegated to the V-list, with, as one colleague puts it, an “unjustifiably bad rap as a [strictly] vegetarian food.”
The rest of the world certainly appreciates lentils; 78 percent of the U.S. crop is exported. When you look for lentil recipes, the most common preparations usually originate from Mediterranean countries or South Asia. Even Latin and South American cuisines acknowledge lentils.
“We don’t eat enough lentils,” said Pete Klaiber, director of marketing for the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, which is based in Moscow, Idaho. “We consider lentils here as an exotic side dish when a large portion of the rest of the world eats it daily.”
In India, lentils are used in dals (a word that stands for all pulses, including dried beans, lentils and peas), a dish that appears at nearly every meal. The French enjoy lentils as a salad with a vinaigrette. Italians serve lentils with cotechino sausage during the holidays. North Africans include lentils in various soups or rice dishes. In the Middle East, there is noodles with lentils, usually seasoned with onions and/or tomatoes and fresh herbs. The Greeks make bread with lentils.
According to Clifford Wright, food historian and cookbook author, the first archaeological evidence of lentils comes from the early Stone Age in a cave in Greece. Traces of lentils also have been found throughout the Middle East from around 8000 B.C.
Montana and North Dakota now lead in lentil production. Farmers value the crop, because it draws nitrogen from the air into the soil, which means they don’t have to pay to supplement the soil. Klaiber explained that the cost of nitrogen rises with petroleum prices.
“It makes agronomic sense to grow lentils,” he said.
Lentils grow in pods that are allowed to dry in the field. Harvest, accomplished by combines that separate the lentils from their pods, usually takes place during August. Afterward, the lentils are taken to processors to be cleaned and packaged.
Lentils are a good source of protein, folate and iron. They don’t need to be soaked before cooking, and take about 20 minutes to simmer until tender. You can prepare a batch to keep in the fridge and use over the course of several meals.
Lentil soup with thyme and balsamic vinegar
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
From “The New California Cook.”
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 containers (32 ounces each) chicken broth
2 cups dried brown lentils, picked over, rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) chopped tomatoes
1/2 pound coarsely chopped honey-cured or regular ham
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for optional garnish
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon each: minced fresh thyme, salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped, optional
1. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat; cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the broth, lentils, tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the ham and 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Raise heat to medium high; heat to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Partially cover pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Puree the soup in the pan using an immersion blender (or in batches in a food processor; return soup to pan) until the soup is partially pureed but still has plenty of texture. Add the remaining ham, the remaining 2 tablespoons of the parsley, vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. Heat to a simmer; cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning if desired. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with tomato and parsley if desired.
Nutrition information per serving:
315 calories, 22% of calories from fat, 8 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 16 mg cholesterol, 39 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 1,484 mg sodium, 14 g fiber
Lentil salad with feta and mint
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Standing time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
– Adapted from “From Tapas to Meze.”
1 cup dried lentils, picked over for stones, rinsed
4 cloves garlic, bruised (lightly mashed), plus 2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons each: extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, finely diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint plus mint sprigs
18 pitted kalamata olives
6 ounces feta, crumbled
1. Place lentils, the 4 bruised garlic cloves, bay leaves and oregano in a Dutch oven; cover with water by 2 inches. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes; drain. Let cool.
2. Meanwhile, for the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, the minced garlic and cumin in a small bowl; season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste.
3. Combine the lentils, onion, bell pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl; toss with the vinaigrette. Let stand 20 minutes; season as needed with additional salt, pepper and vinegar.
4. Toss the salad with the chopped mint; transfer to a platter. Garnish with the olives, feta and mint sprigs.
Nutrition information per serving:
352 calories, 58% of calories from fat, 23 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 24 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 893 mg sodium, 8 g fiber
