Lentils

A quick lesson on lentils.  They are lovely.  They are naturally gluten free.  Lesson over.  Thank you for coming. A bit more?  
Lentils are an incredibly versatile legume, very rich in protein and fiber.  They come in an array of colors which all have a slightly unique texture and appearance.  My favorites are:  

• Brown or Spanish pardina which hold together in cooking beautifully
• French green or puy lentils which are a bit more expensive but worth it
• Green, muddy colored which are the more common and can easily be purchased in bulk
• Black which are my at-the-moment favorites!  They resemble little tiny seed beads prior to cooking.
• Red which tend to mush up more quickly than the others, making them not my favorite but a clear winner with my youngest, Eleri.  

I should say a couple of things about cooking lentils.

~Do not salt while cooking.  It will only make them tough.  
~The pot needs a lid but it must be left ajar to allow steam to escape.
~20-30 minutes is usually enough to cook them.  The longer they cook, the softer they will be.  I personally like them firmer than the rest of the family so I strive to land somewhere in between al dente and mush.

Here is our weekly lentil dinner recipe (adapted from my dear friend Barbara)~

Lentils with Balsamic/Bacon/Avocado

2 cups lentils washed, picked over and drained

8 cups water or broth or combo of both

~Bring to a boil, turning down heat to low and simmer with the lid slightly ajar for 20-30 mins. Test to be sure the consistency is what you want  before draining.   Drain MOST of the water, leaving enough to keep them swimming but not drowning.

1 sweet Onion, diced 

4-5 Tomatoes, fresh (or tinned work fine-aim for organic whenever possible) cut into small chunks

Olive oil (Extra Virgin)

Balsamic vinegar

~saute onions in a splash of olive oil for 15 minutes on low.

~add tomatoes to onions and continue simmering for 15 minutes more.  Throw in a garlic clove if you feel like it.  Remove before serving if thrown in whole.

~add onions/tomatoes to cooked lentils and continue to cook over low heat.

~add glugs or splashes (up to you) of the balsamic and the same of the olive oil to the lentils and continue to simmer on low until you are ready to eat.  You may want to add more olive oil to create a nice coating and to keep them all comfy cozy in their pot.  Lentils are a cozy kind of food!

~add salt & pepper to your liking and stir the lentils around a bit.  

Bacon (either slab, sliced, pancetta) We like Brandt Beef, all Natural Cowboy beef bacon.  Amazing!

 ~cook the bacon until crispy and drain

Avocado

~cut into chunks

And there you have it.  Serve the lentils in large shallow bowls.  Top bacon and avocado!

I leave the olive oil and balsamic on the table so everyone can add a bit more if desired.  Libby actually pours the balsamic into a spoon and eats (drinks?)  it that way.  Eleri asks me to make them without any so... you never know.  Enjoy!