Delia Online

Re: Lentilles Vert
23 Jul 2008 02:40

Does anyone have a suggestion for preparing these as a side dish/accompanyment to fish/chicken? They look a little like small puy lentils.

Was reading the pulses section of How To Cook and Delia suggests cooking pulses when you have no time to shop for vegetables - but I have never tried this. It is a question of just cooking them in stock (which sounds a bit boring!) so any suggestions would be appreciated!

Replies

By Guacamole: Re: Lentilles Vert
23 Jul 2008 07:32
Cook them in water (stock is OK but it musn't contain salt or they won't go soft) for about 30 mins (or as pack says)
Drain and stir in finely chopped fried shallot and a dash of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.....chopped tomatoes are good too....

By Biggles

Re: Lentilles Vert
23 Jul 2008 09:34

Hi Flapjack, not the quickest of recipes, but delicious. This is from The French Kitchen or The French Market cookbook.

Lentilles du Puy

These are by far the best kind of lentils for this slow-cooking dish. Dark in colour and plump in consistency, they retain and intensify the rich flavours of the wine and herbs, with a result that can be enjoyed on its own or as a perfect accompaniment to a piece of spiced roast pork or a roast chicken.

Serves 6

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour and 10 minutes

4 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed peeled and chopped
400 g can chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs oregano
2 sprigs rosemary
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
400 g puy lentils
500 ml red wine
200 ml water

Method

Heat the oven to 180° C / gas mk 4. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pan on the hob. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, seasoning, lentils, red wine and water. Mix well, bring to the boil, then place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Check and stir, then return to the oven for another 30 minutes. By now the wine should have evaporated, allowing the Puy lentils to absorb the rich flavours.

NB: I’ve been using Black Beluga Lentils (Merchant Gourmand) in this recipe also. Last week I used ordinary lentilles vertes and they were fine also, 03/02/08.

By vivaciousviv: Re: Lentilles Vert
23 Jul 2008 10:45
I love lentils. I would boil them in water first and then add sweated chopped shallot and garlic, grated ginger and soy sauce. Delicious hot or cold. Viv xx

By gerry: Re: Lentilles Vert
23 Jul 2008 11:11
I have just cooked my Pardina lentils (they're green but otherwise same as Puy) in miso soup and a dash of sherry and they've cooked fine, despite miso being salty.

By *Bramble: Re: Lentilles Vert
23 Jul 2008 11:16
Gerry, I don't think lentils have skins. Dried beans and even yellow split peas have a skin, and that's what goes tough with salt. What are Pardina lentils? Sound Italian to me :-)

By gerry: Re: Lentilles Vert
23 Jul 2008 12:36
Bramble, they're from the Merchant Gourmet range. I've seen 3 different lentils but so far tried 2, the Puy and the Pardina. On the box the picture is of red lentils, but they turned out to be green; don't know if they got put in the wrong box.

By Jampling: Re: Lentilles Vert
23 Jul 2008 14:47
Last night I made Delia's scallops with puy lentils, and I'd suggest they would go perfectly with lots of dishes - not just scallops. The recipe's on the site. It was scrummy!