Here are four very different (and flexible) ways to cook lentils. If you're not already a lentil addict, they should give you an idea of how quick and easy lentils are to cook with.
1 Easy and versatile: Grilled Fish with Lentils
2. Thick and warming: Lentil and Tomato Soup
3. Quickest ever: Children's Lentil Shepherd's Pie
4. Tasty and filling: Classy Lentil Salad
1 Easy and versatile: Grilled Fish with Lentils
Lentils and fish make such a lovely couple! Take the basic ideas from this recipe, and adapt it yourself.
To feed four, you need four fish fillets (sea bass, rainbow trout, for example). A chopped onion, two sliced garlic cloves, a lemon, 150g Puy lentils, 100ml fish stock and 100ml white wine.
Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Add the lentils and stir. Pour in the wine and the stock. Bring to the boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed. Pre-heat the grill. Brush the fish with oil, squeeze over some lemon juice, and season. Grill the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side, so that they are ready at the same time as the lentils. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.
2. Thick and warming: Lentil and Tomato Soup
This velvety soup takes its character from marjoram and thyme, so be generous with the herbs. Those who smell this cooking will end up loitering around the kitchen.
For this, you need one big chopped onion, 3 chopped carrots, a tin of tomatoes, 225g red lentils, a tablespoon each of dried marjoram and thyme, a bay leaf, stock (the amount depends on the consistency you like, and a small glass of sherry if you want.
Fry the onion, carrots and garlic until soft. Add the lentils, then the stock and herbs. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are soft. Blend with a hand-wand or in a blender until velvety. Add the sherry and re-heat on the stove top for 15 minutes or so. To serve, put some grated cheese at the bottom of a bowl, and ladle the lentil soup on top. Serve with crusty bread.
3. Quickest ever: Children's Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Turning lentils into a main meal for young palates doesn't get simpler than this. The cheesy topping helps win fans if your kids aren't used to lentils.
You need 125g red lentils, 600ml water, a stock cube, small onion (chopped) and a clove of garlic (crushed). You also need some cooked, mashed potato and grated cheese to go on top.
Put everything (except the potato) in a pan, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 40mns. Add some cornflour to thicken if necessary. Then spoon the lentil mixture into heat-proof dish, top with mashed potato and brown under the grill.
4. Tasty and filling: Classy Lentil Salad
This is posh nosh. The wonderful combination of flavours makes plenty of left-overs, so you can please your guests, and then polish off the rest the next day.
You need 250g of Puy lentils, olive oil, one yellow pepper (chopped), 240g sundried tomatoes, 200g feta cheese, and some parsley.
Cook the Puy lentils in double their volume of water or stock, for 15-20 minutes. Gently cook the peppers for about two minutes, to soften. Add the sundried tomatoes and cook for another minute or so. Then mix all the ingredients together. Drizzle the salad with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar before serving.
So there you have it - four of the quickest and tastiest ways to include lentils into your menu. Just wait until you see some the classier incarnations - spicy dahls, hearty Italian stews, classic curries...
1 Easy and versatile: Grilled Fish with Lentils
2. Thick and warming: Lentil and Tomato Soup
3. Quickest ever: Children's Lentil Shepherd's Pie
4. Tasty and filling: Classy Lentil Salad
1 Easy and versatile: Grilled Fish with Lentils
Lentils and fish make such a lovely couple! Take the basic ideas from this recipe, and adapt it yourself.
To feed four, you need four fish fillets (sea bass, rainbow trout, for example). A chopped onion, two sliced garlic cloves, a lemon, 150g Puy lentils, 100ml fish stock and 100ml white wine.
Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Add the lentils and stir. Pour in the wine and the stock. Bring to the boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed. Pre-heat the grill. Brush the fish with oil, squeeze over some lemon juice, and season. Grill the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side, so that they are ready at the same time as the lentils. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.
2. Thick and warming: Lentil and Tomato Soup
This velvety soup takes its character from marjoram and thyme, so be generous with the herbs. Those who smell this cooking will end up loitering around the kitchen.
For this, you need one big chopped onion, 3 chopped carrots, a tin of tomatoes, 225g red lentils, a tablespoon each of dried marjoram and thyme, a bay leaf, stock (the amount depends on the consistency you like, and a small glass of sherry if you want.
Fry the onion, carrots and garlic until soft. Add the lentils, then the stock and herbs. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are soft. Blend with a hand-wand or in a blender until velvety. Add the sherry and re-heat on the stove top for 15 minutes or so. To serve, put some grated cheese at the bottom of a bowl, and ladle the lentil soup on top. Serve with crusty bread.
3. Quickest ever: Children's Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Turning lentils into a main meal for young palates doesn't get simpler than this. The cheesy topping helps win fans if your kids aren't used to lentils.
You need 125g red lentils, 600ml water, a stock cube, small onion (chopped) and a clove of garlic (crushed). You also need some cooked, mashed potato and grated cheese to go on top.
Put everything (except the potato) in a pan, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 40mns. Add some cornflour to thicken if necessary. Then spoon the lentil mixture into heat-proof dish, top with mashed potato and brown under the grill.
4. Tasty and filling: Classy Lentil Salad
This is posh nosh. The wonderful combination of flavours makes plenty of left-overs, so you can please your guests, and then polish off the rest the next day.
You need 250g of Puy lentils, olive oil, one yellow pepper (chopped), 240g sundried tomatoes, 200g feta cheese, and some parsley.
Cook the Puy lentils in double their volume of water or stock, for 15-20 minutes. Gently cook the peppers for about two minutes, to soften. Add the sundried tomatoes and cook for another minute or so. Then mix all the ingredients together. Drizzle the salad with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar before serving.
So there you have it - four of the quickest and tastiest ways to include lentils into your menu. Just wait until you see some the classier incarnations - spicy dahls, hearty Italian stews, classic curries...
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