It’s funny how we sometimes decide we don’t like a food simply on principle. Until a couple of years ago, I’d never had lentils, and never felt the need to try them, despite knowing how iron and fiber rich they are. They seemed mysterious and suspect—like something I was either not old or exotic enough to appreciate.
Then I actually had them, and slapped my own forehead. We loved the smoky simplicity and were cured of our lentil prejudice for good.
Here’s one favorite recipe, modified for co-op produce on hand. Diced onion can be substitued for leek and garlic cloves stand in perfectly for the green garlic. I buy precooked lentils from Trader Joe’s (I believe it’s the Melissa’s brand repackaged for TJ’s)—of course cooking from dried is fine, too!
Garlicky Lentils
1/4 c Olive Oil
1 green garlic, sliced thinly (could also use green onion, regular garlic, etc)
1 Leek, quartered and sliced thinly
1 pkg Prepared Lentils (or 3 c cooked at home)
1/4 c Chicken Broth
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley
Prep: In small bowl, combine oil and garlic; set aside. In medium pot over medium heat, saute leek for 1 min, then add lentils and chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 3-5 min, then turn off heat. Stir in oil/garlic mixture and parsley, then serve.
Braised bratwurst, garlicky lentils, escarole salad with strawberries
2 comments:
Do you know why you've been averse to lentils? Because of our dad! We never ate them because when he was 18 and went to CA on a bus, he ate nothing but lentils. He hated them ever since, and as a result, we never ate them either. Personally, I LOVE lentils and love Progresso's lentil soup. Thanks for the recipe! Where in TJ's are the precooked lentils?
Produce section... in mine they're located with other precooked random veggies like beets and black eyed peas.
Post a Comment