Tag: lentils

Lentil Salad w Fennel, Arugula, Orange

Lentil Salad w Fennel

Salad season is here, and I’m back on the hunt for salads with substance. This lentil salad is full of good stuff.

One thing you may notice when looking at the recipe… my photos are missing the feta. Man, oh, man! Don’t forget the feta! Sure, the salad was great without it, but the feta adds a great tang and saltiness that makes it so much better. Initially, I was going to leave the feta “optional”. No longer.

You are not allowed to skip the feta.

Lentil Salad w Fennel

Lentil Salad w Fennel – sadly, missing the feta

I love lentils, but they feel like such a winter food. Stews, soups, rich sauces – they’re mostly associated with winter comfort food. I wanted to show how easy it is to incorporate them into summer cooking. They are so incredibly good for you, and are really quick to cook up from dry.

 

Lentil Salad with Fennel, Arugula and Orange

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried lentils (green or brown)
  • 4 cups arugula
  • ⅔ cup olive oil
  • 1 large orange
  • 1 small garlic clove, peeled
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 small fennel bulb, quartered
  • feta, crumbled, to serve

Preparation

  1. Add dried lentils to a large pot of water. Bring to the boil, turn off the heat and leave for 30 minutes. The lentils should be tender, but still intact.
  2. Once cooked and drained well, put into a large bowl.
  3. While the lentils are cooking, grill the fennel quarters just until they have some grill marks on them. Remove from the grill and set aside.
  4. Zest the orange until you have 1 teaspoon. Set zest aside.
  5. Half the orange, and juice one half. You should have about ¼ cup of orange juice. Add juice to reserved zest and set aside.
  6. Carefully cut the orange segments out of the last half of the orange. Carefully peel off and discard the membrane covering the segments and pull the orange apart into smaller pieces. Add to the fennel and set aside.
  7. Put half the arugula, olive oil, garlic, and the orange zest and juice into a food processor. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss with the lentils.
  8. Fold in the rest of the arugula, grilled fennel and orange segments.
  9. Crumble a bit of feta on top and serve.

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3-Grain Soup

3-Grain Soup

A couple of years ago, I only had two soup recipes – and I only used them once or twice a season.

This year, I think I’ve tried twenty new soup recipes, and have remade a few of them.


I’m not really into sipping cosommé (do people do that??). I like a soup that eats like a meal, but doesn’t come in a ready-made gelatinous blob. I’m not sure where the dividing line between soup and stew is, but I think I’m clumsily walking along it.

This soup was a great find, because it allowed me to use a few ingredients I don’t normally buy (like wheat berries and le puy lentils). Do you really need to buy le puy lentils? I don’t think so. I’ve made the soup twice now: once with le puy lentils; and once with brown lentils. Both were great. This is my first time cooking le puy lentils, so I haven’t quite formed an opinion of them.

If you’re not sure whether you’ll ever use wheat berries or lentils again, go to your local bulk store and buy just the amount you need. I do that to save money, and cupboard space.

The amount of garlic in it may sound shocking, but don’t skimp! The garlic mellows out while it cooks, and lightly flavours the soup. I prefer to mash the whole cloves in my bowl just before I eat – it’s less startling than a mouthful of garlic, and nicely seasons the rest of the soup.

3-Grain Soup

3-Grain Soup

One tip – don’t undercook the soup. You might think that the rice should be intact, but I would disagree. I tested the soup with the rice intact, and the broth seemed a little thin. A little more cooking, and the rice starts to break down and thicken the soup. You don’t need the rice to stay perfect in order to have a nice texture – the lentils and the wheat berries do just fine in that regard.

Where to buy in Toronto?

  • Le puy lentils – I thought I should be able to find these at Bulk Barn, or Loblaws, but no luck. I got them from Rube’s at St. Lawrence Market. You should be able to find them at ‘finer’ bulk stores.
  • Wheat Berries – These are pretty easy to find. I got mine at Bulk Barn, but I think you can find them at Rube’s. You might be able to get them from grocery stores.

 

3-Grain Soup

Source: Adapted from this recipe.

6-8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 medium leeks, white parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced (3-4 cups of sliced leek)
  • 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • Fine sea salt
  • 14-ounces canned peeled whole tomatoes, crushed, with juices
  • 6 cups cold water or light-flavoured stock
  • 1 head of garlic, separated into whole peeled cloves
  • 1/3 cup brown rice
  • 1/3 cup le Puy lentils
  • 1/3 cup wheat berries
  • Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

  1. Heat oil in a preheated, heavy soup pot.
  2. Add the leeks, carrots, olive oil, bay leaves, thyme and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook over low heat until softened.
  3. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the water/stock and garlic and bring to a boil over medium heat.
  4. Turn the heat down to low, add the rice, lentils and wheat berries, cover and simmer until the grains are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  5. Discard the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper and serve.

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Greek Fakkes (Lentil Soup)

Fakkes (Greek Lentil Soup)

Eating vegetarian can sometimes be tricky, because you have to really think about ways of getting the protein you need. On the other hand, I know so many meat eaters that don’t get enough of the nutrients you usually get from veggies! Hahaha. I guess we’re really all in the same boat here.

In the winter months, it’s easier to remember to eat legumes because they are perfect in hearty, warming dishes like Fakkes (Greek lentil soup).

Continue reading Greek Fakkes (Lentil Soup)

Daring Vegetarian Köfte (lentil and bulgur patties)

Daring Vegetarian Kofte

This month’s Daring Cooks’ challenge asked us to make some form of ‘patty’. I used it as an opportunity to dive back into my Turkish cookbook…

The end result is a mashup of a couple of different dishes – a great way for vegetarians to experience köfte. Most people know Turkish köfte as football-shaped meat balls, full of spices and a little bit crispy on the outside. This is my attempt at making them vegetarian.

Continue reading Daring Vegetarian Köfte (lentil and bulgur patties)

Ethiopian Feast!

I first tried Ethiopian food about 10 years ago, on the recommendation of a colleague. A vegetarian at the time, I was looking for new restaurants, and new flavours that didn’t involve eating Babe (or his little friends). When I go for Ethiopian food, I always get the vegetarian platter. All of the restaurants make these, and they often contain many of the same dishes (or variations of them). Comprised of a number of stews, the dishes may be spiced legumes (lentils, split peas), vegetables, collard greens, all placed in colourful mounds around a fresh salad, atop what can best be described as a sourdough pancake.

Injera, the aforementioned ‘pancake’, is an important part of the meal. It lines the platter, it provides the grain portion of the meal… and acts as your utensil. The flavourful stews are grabbed up, and masterfully rolled into a piece of injera, dipped in Awaze, and quickly popped into your mouth. Injera can be made at home, or bought from a number of stores that carry the handmade bread. It is traditionally made from Teff, the world’s smallest grain, which can be hard to find and expensive in Canada. We opted to buy Injera this time around, but my husband “the bread guy” thinks he could pull off a good batch next time (having found Teff flour at Rube’s in St. Lawrence Market).

A close-up of the platter. Clockwise from 12: Gomen, Mesir Allecha, Mesir Wat. Centre: Awaze. MMmmmmmm.

This meal is great for those who love complex flavours, varied textures, a little spicy kick and breaking ripping bread with friends.

This was my second attempt at making Ethiopian dishes. The first try did not go so well, and I gave up. This time, I figured I had a better feel for the food, hopefully a better eye for the recipes, and a new favourite condiment to devour.

In my earlier post, I mentioned Berbere, a very important spice blend in many Ethiopian dishes. I also mentioned Awaze, the bold and spicy condiment that is made from Berbere. This is my inspiration for trying again, and having successfully made a batch of Awaze, I was determined to make food worthy of being dipped in it.

Want some injera or spices? Toronto has quite a few places that carry these items, but the ones that we shopped at this time around are Piassa Ingera (260 Dundas Street East) and, oddly enough, the Hasty Market at King & Dufferin.

Looking for someone else to make it for you? Try Ethiopian House Restaurant (4 Irwin Avenue, Toronto)

Want to try making it for yourself? Here are recipes I followed (slightly modified from recipes I found online). Don’t forget to refer to the Berbere and Awaze post!!!

Niter Kebbeh (spiced, clarified butter)

This is the start of many great Ethiopian dishes. This butter is full of flavour, and really can’t be omitted from the dish (although I generally use less than recommended in the original recipes). I made this well in advance, let it cool in a rectangular dish, then chopped into cubes and frozen. I should have enough Niter Kebbeh for the next 3-4 meals, maybe more!

Modified from this Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound butter
  • 4 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped or pressed
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, scraped and finely grated or minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation:

  1. Slowly melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat.
  2. Add the other ingredients and simmer uncovered on the lowest heat for about 20-30 minutes. Do not let it brown.
  3. Strain the mixture through a double layer of cheesecloth or a fine strainer, discarding the spices.
  4. Refrigerate until set.

Gomen (Stewed Collard Greens)

The collard greens have always been one of my favourite parts of the meal. Their slightly bitter, buttery deliciousness is a great contrast to the lentil dishes and is a must for any platter. I actually doubled this recipe when I made it, and found that this was the perfect amount.

modified from this recipe

  • 1 large bunch collard greens, about 1½ pounds
  • 1 tbsp niter kebbeh, ghee or olive oil
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 2 fresh hot peppers, seeded and minced (or to taste)
  • 1 cup broth
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon
  • black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom
  1. Tear stems from collard greens, and wash greens well.
  2. In a large skillet or stir fry pan, melt the niter kebbeh (or oil). Add onion, garlic, ginger and hot peppers and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add collard greens, broth, salt, pepper and cardamom. Bring to a simmer and cook until most of water has evaporated from pan and the greens are very tender (this took me about 1/2 hour… leave some time!).

Mesir Wat (spicy red lentils)

This is my absolute favourite dish in the platter. The lentils are soft and spicy and creamy. The berbere spice is really hard to describe in this dish, as it adds not only spice but a really well-rounded warmth and flavour. This recipe makes a LOT of food, and could be halved (especially if made alongside the other two recipes here). I made the full recipe, and have quite a lot left over… but I’m fine with that. Did I mention this is my favourite? I may try freezing some to see how it holds up.

Serves 4 to 6 – modified from this recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 1 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely minced
  • 2 tsp ginger, peeled and minced or grated
  • 2-3 tbsp Niter Kibbeh (or oil or butter)
  • 3 tablespoons berbere
  • 2 cups red lentils, rinsed
  • 4 cups, water or broth
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Place the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor or blender and puree. Add a little water if necessary.
  2. Heat the oil, butter or niter kibbeh in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium flame. Add berbere and stir rapidly to color the oil and cook spices through, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add the onion puree and sauté until the excess moisture evaporates and the onion loses its raw aroma, about 5-10 minutes. Do not burn.
  4. Add lentils and water to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are cooked through and fall apart, about 30 to 40 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep the lentils from drying out.
  5. Stir in salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Mesir Allecha (mild lentils)

These lentils are mild and buttery. Although not the most stand out dish of the bunch, for me it offers a mild balance with the other dishes. I chose this dish to round out my platter. This recipe makes a conservative amount – which was fine with me, because I eat less of this one than the other two. Notice that the recipe calls for half the amount of lentils required in the Mesir Wat above.

modified from this recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon niter kebbeh
  • 1 cup red lentils (masoor dal), picked over, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons seeded and finely chopped jalapeño peppers
  • 4 cups water (adjusted as necessary)
  1. In a medium saucepan, soak red lentils for one hour in three cups of the water.
  2. Bring the lentils and water to boil and cook for 30 minutes until the lentils are soft, adding more water if necessary. Drain off any extra water and mash.
  3. Heat the niter kebbeh in another pan over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add the mashed lentils, turmeric, salt and hot pepper. Stir well.
  4. Add the remaining cup of water (or less, pour slowly) and cook for 3-4 more minutes more to reduce the mixture to a thick, well spiced puree.