Looking for "Crazy" or "Amazing" lentil recipes
Posted by jenniferhughes on Oct 01, 2006 · Member since Aug 2006 · 1828 posts
Okay, I'm looking for recipes which use lentils in a new way (i.e. cake with lentils in it)
OR
some kind of "new" lentil recipe...
Basically I've spiced lentils in every way I can think of and done the lentils over rice/couscous/Mediterranean style in so many ways that I just need some new ideas!
Plus, I always seem to have them on hand and if they can be used in another way to replace something else...?? Pureed into a dough?????
Or anyone have an lentil recipes where the end result has no trace of lentil??
OR just post your yummiest lentil recipe!
Thanks!
I used to live in the Palouse (Idaho/Washington border region), where they consider themselves the lentil capitol of the U.S.-- while I don't have any interesting recipes handy, they have an annual lentil festival where they make some really innovative stuff. I remember hearing about lentil cake and lentil sorbet, but I haven't tried them. Perhaps an internet search of the Palouse lentil festival would yield a few ideas?
The other day I cooked green lentils and barley together in vegan broth and then used that as the basis of a sloppy-joe type filling, with onion, garlic, green peppers, carrot, and celery and a splash of ketchup. It was absolutely scrumptious-- nothing too innovative, but the barley really contributed to the lentilly goodness and the finished product was so satisfying.
Good luck!
Thanks! I searched and found a few good recipes but again nothing that was extremely unique. This one sounds fun! 3rd Place winner at the lentil festival.
But still looking! There has to be a cake recipe with lentils out there! And you do not want me to begin experimenting! ;)
Washington Caviar
Submitted By:LaDean Williamson
INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked US lentils, drained
1 (15 ¼ oz) can white hominy, drained
2 fresh medium tomatoes, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 (4 oz, peeled and diced) can green chiles
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
½ cup slice ripe olives
½ jalapeno, seeds removed and discarded, chopped
1 cup chopped red onion
¾ cup chopped, fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped, fresh cilantro
1 (8 oz) bottle Italian dressing
Tortilla chips
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients except tortilla chips. Mix the ingredients and let marinate for 2 hours. Drain off the dressing. Serve with tortilla chips, grilled meat, enchiladas, or tacos.
Check out this food blog. She has amazing inventive recipes...scroll down and check the mocha moon mud, she made it with split peas but I bet you can substitute lentils
http://www.zenpawn.com/vegblog/category/food/
That looks so unique and strange that I might just have to try some. Nifty link!
Guess who just found her favorite lentil recipe?
It's from Bharti Kirchner's the Bold Vegetarian (1995, HarperCollins) and it is a wonderful, thick, creamy soup.
Red Lentils in Coconut Cream
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 whole jalapeno or other fresh chile (slashed, but not cut up)
1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup coconut milk, stirred to mix thin and thick parts before measuring
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
salt to taste
ground red pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil or mustard oil
1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 cup finely chopped onion
(author calls for) a sprinkling of ghee or melted butter
lime wedges for garnish
Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Add lentils and return to boil. Lower heat, and skim foam from top (discard.) Add turmeric and jalapeno. Simmer, covered, til lentils are very soft and have almost dissolved in liquid, about 15 minutes. Discard jalapeno.
Puree mixture til smooth. Return to heat, add ginger, and simmer. Before adding coconut milk, which curdles at a boil, remove from heat. Add coconut milk and mix well. Add lime juice, and season to taste with salt and red pepper.
In hot oil in small skillet, saute cumin seeds until they are medium brown. Add onion and cook until it is medium brown and caramelized, 5-8 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour onion mixture over soup, or ladle soup out into serving bowls and top with portions of onion/cumin mixture. Sprinkle with ghee (if you use it-- has never seemed desirable) and serve garnished with lime wedges.
Enjoy!
Duckalucky,
How much would that serve..at least how many bowls..my bf LOVES lentils!
Kirchner says it's 4 side-dish servings... usually in my household it makes one hearty meal for 2 people, and then a smaller mugfull each for 2 people to enjoy with a sandwich the next day's lunch. It's nicer fresh, though-- when the onion and cumin are distinct from the rest-- so I'd consider serving it as a first course for 4 as the author suggests. ;)
This is really good!:
Adas Careh (Lentil Butter)
1 c Uncooked lentils
1/2 ts Salt
2 1/4 c Water
1 tb Olive oil
6 ea Green onions, sliced
1 sm Garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tb Parsley
1 ds Cayenne
1 ds Turmeric
1/4 c Water, as needed
Instructions:
Combine water, lentils, salt in a pot. Cook till lentils are soft. Drain, reserve stock. Heat oil in skillet & saute onions & garlic till onions are translucent. Add parsley & spices & cook another minute. Set aside. Combine lentils, cooking water & onion mixture in a food processor, adding more water a tb at a time as needed till the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency. Refrigerate a few hours before serving. Spread on whole grain crackers or use as a vegetable dip. "Vegetarian Times" March, 1992
I posted a recipe for Pastitsio under "Pasta Casseroles" on this site, using lentil and it is pretty good. I can't remember whether someone gave me the recipe or I just "vegged up" the traditional recipe. I've used it since the early 80's. Don't know if that's Amazing enough for ya, but I like it and so does my carnivore dh.
I used to know a few Mormons, and it seemed like a pretty big 'thing' in the Mormon community to use beans for flour. Put the beans in a blender or processor and grind it down to flour, then use it to replace part of the flour in any baking recipe; bread, biscuits, cookies, cakes. I've tried it with other beans, but never lentils. No one, not even my very-easily-offended-by-healthfood-former-inlaws, noticed. I wouldn't go without mixing it with a regular flour, as it could be kinda heavy alone. ;)
Thanks 7...
Lentil Flour hmmm.... this shall be my first "offical experiment" when my brand new vitamix gets here!! (Hurry, Hurry US Postal Service! I cannot wait!)
I think the end goal will be lentil cake.
But I will test this "lentil flour" out first on bread. I think bread is more forgiving. ;)
Bread should do pretty good (did for me), and I knew some who did make cake like there was nothing weird about it at all, but I was never brave enough to go as far as cake myself, so let me know how it goes!