Masoor Dal - Indian Lentils

Masoor dal is one of my favorite comfort dishes. It doesn't contain a pint of cream, nor is it loaded with a stick of butter, as my variation uses significantly less oil than the original recipe. What makes it a good comfort food is the rich flavor from the spices and the heartiness from the lentils. It's easy to put together and doesn't weigh heavily in the stomach. I like to serve it with rice, but today I served it with cornbread. You could even serve it with pasta because it's pretty versatile.

Garam masala, a traditional Indian spice mix, is what you're supposed to use, though I subbed Chinese 5-spice because that's what I have in the spice cabinet. There are a few similar spices used, but overall it's different. It's still imparts a spicy, smoky flavor, which is the important part. I did have ground coriander, an ingredient in garam masala, so I added some of that along with turmeric for color, like the recipe says to do.

The spices work to flavor the dish in two ways. First, half the spices are added to the lentils as they cook. The remaining spices are sauteed with onions. These spices are fat soluble, meaning the flavor is released the most when they come in contact with fat.

To begin, rinse 2 cups of black lentils. Add to boiling water and simmer until halfway cooked. The spices and salt are then added and the lentils continue to cook until soft. You're looking for a texture similar to thick cream, as the recipe states. This doesn't mean you want to cook the lentils to a mush. The lentils need to be combined with just enough water to maintain a loose texture without being too soupy. Additional hot water is added throughout the cooking period if needed to maintain consistency.

This was my first time making masoor dal with black lentils instead of green lentils. I liked it because the black lentils hold their shape better and have a heartier texture. It works with any type of lentil that retains their shape when cooked, so there's no need to buy a specific type.

If your lentils are cooked and there is still too much water, as pictured above, simmer gently, uncovered, to let the excess water evaporate.

The additional ingredients are onions, garlic, ginger, and pureed tomatoes. You're supposed to use jalapenos and cilantro, but I didn't have any. Luckily, the canned, diced tomatoes I used were Mexican-style and contained green chiles, so I got some heat that way. Make sure you puree the tomatoes because it contributes to the texture of the sauce, whereas leaving them diced would make it chunkier and less saucy.

Saute the onions in two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Saute until tender and translucent, taking care not to let them brown.

The garlic, ginger, and chiles, if you have them. Right now, it's smelling pretty great. Continue to saute the mixture until onions are deep yellow. Now, the rest of the spices and salt are mixed in and fried until the spices "stick".

When the spices soak up the moisture are sticking to the skillet, the pureed tomatoes and cilantro are poured in to release the spice fond. I cook this mixture for 3-5 minutes to heat the tomatoes and reduce them slightly.

Add the cooked lentils and stir to combine with the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

That's all it takes to get of Indian lentils for dinner. This meal is full of protein, and the flavors taste even better the next day. I often eat a bowl of lentils for breakfast because it's so good. I'll be making this recipe often throughout wintertime.

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Masoor Dal
Recipe modified from Indian Food Forever

Ingredients -

2 cups black or green lentils
2 1/2 teaspoons garam masala or Chinese 5 spice powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1-inch piece) ginger root, chopped finely
2 jalapeno chiles, chopped (seeded if you want it less spicy)
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, pureed
1 bunch coriander, chopped

Directions -

1. In a 3 quart pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Rinse lentils thoroughly. Add them to boiling water. Stir, and reduce heat to maintain a continuous simmer.


2. Cook the lentils for 15 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon garam masala or Chinese 5 spice, 1/2 coriander, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and 1 teaspoon salt. As lentils cook, uncovered, water will evaporate and mixture will thicken. Add more water to keep dal loose, like texture of thick cream. When dal is soft (an additional 10-15 minutes), turn off heat.


3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is very hot, add onions and cook until tender and translucent but not browned.


4. Add garlic, ginger and chiles. Continue to fry until onions are deep-yellow. Add remaining spices and salt. Do not allow spices to burn. Keep stirring until mixtures starts to stick to skillet.


5. Add tomatoes and cilantro. Cook until tomato softens and thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Pour in pot of lentils and simmer to blend flavors. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Roasted Lentil Gravy with Prune Stuffed Pork Loin + Le Creuset Giveaway

My third recipe for the USA Dry Pea & Lentil contest is a savory lentil gravy. The lentils are roasted in the oven along with a prune stuffed pork loin. I've had a similar pork loin for Christmas from a Lidia Bastianich recipe, and knew the flavor of the prunes would pair well with the lentils.

Pardina lentils, along with carrots, onion, garlic, and baby portobello mushrooms are added to the bottom of a roasting pan with chicken broth. As the pork loin cooks, the juices infuse the lentils with more flavor. After the pork finishes cooking, taking about an hour and a half, the perfectly cooked lentils are pureed and added to a roux made from butter and sweet rice flour. The puree is thinned with a little chardonnay and more chicken broth, and served with slices of pork loin for a tasty and unique take on a traditional Sunday roast and gravy dinner.

Recipe after the jump.

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Le Creuset Giveaway

Le Creuset, one of the sponsors of the contest, gave another Farm Fresh Stainless Steel Steamer Pan to giveaway to one of my readers. The pot is really nice to cook in, as I've had the pleasure of doing, and I'm sure you'll like it, too. The pot retails at $185 so you're getting a pretty nice treat if you win.

There are two ways to enter:

• Leave a comment on my blog telling me what your favorite lentil recipe of mine has been so far (between the gorditas, chocolate cake, and this one)


• Tweet about this giveaway, linking to this post and adding @runningfoodie. Comment again to let me know.

Giveaway is open to US residents only due to shipping costs. Contest ends at noon this Friday. Good luck!

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Lentil Gravy with Prune Stuffed Pork Loin

ingredients -

9 ounces pitted prunes
1/2 cup orange juice
5 cloves garlic, sliced
3 pound boneless pork loin
1 tablespoon Belgian style mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
sprinkle of black pepper
3/4 cup USA dry pardina lentils, rinsed
8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, chopped
2/3 cup white onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup carrot, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3-4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoon sweet rice flour
1/4 cup chardonnay

directions -

1. Pour orange juice over prunes and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.


2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice a deep pocket on the side of the pork loin, reaching to the center. Don't slice through the ends, like a sub. Stuff the pork loin with the prunes and sliced garlic, leaving 4-5 prunes out. Tie the pork loin with kitchen twine to keep the filling in place as it cooks. Place in roasting pan. Combine the mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on the top and sides of the pork loin.


3. Roast for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 400. Add lentils, vegetables, remaining prunes and soaking liquid to bottom of pan along with 1 cup chicken broth. Cook for another 25 minutes. Continue cooking for another 30-50 minutes, until the pork registers 160 on an instant read thermometer and the lentils are tender. Add more chicken broth throughout the cooking time to keep the lentils moist. Taste the lentils throughout to check on the tenderness.


4. Remove pork loin from the pan onto a platter and cover with foil to rest. Scrape the lentils and broth into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add additional chicken broth if needed. You should have about 2 cups. If not, pour in more chicken broth.


5. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in rice flour and stir for 30 seconds. Add chardonnay and whisk for 30 seconds. Add lentil puree and 1 cup chicken broth. Stir to blend and simmer until heated through. Push lentil gravy through a fine mesh sieve before serving.


6. Slice pork loin into 1/4 inch slices and serve with gravy.

A Lifetime Supply of Dry Peas & Lentils Giveaway!

Now that I've shown you guys some new ways to cook with lentils, a lifetime supply of dried peas and lentils won't send your kids or live-in lentil haters searching for a new home. Thanks to the USA Dry Peas, Lentils & Chickpeas Council, the host of the Recipe Rivalry, one of my readers can win a lifetime supply.

One aspect of this challenge I really liked was the variety of lentil and split pea products I received. Like lentil flour. Did you know there was lentil flour? I didn't. I'll be posting a recipe featuring it soon. And did you know there are lentils matching all the colors of the rainbow? Okay, I exaggerate, though my eyes were opened to the many different types I hadn't been aware of, as I primarily cooked with brown lentils in the past. Seriously, this is a great prize, so make sure you enter.

Also, I can't thank the Lentil Council enough for giving me this opportunity, and I hope I used their products to the best of my ability for this challenge.

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Giveaway Details

Now here's how you can help me. The contest isn't over yet! I still need to pick which recipe out of the six I made to enter into the contest, and I'd like your help. Take a look at the recipes linked below and pick your favorite, then follow these instructions for up to 4 entries:

• Leave a comment telling me your favorite recipe -- 1 entry


• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this page, and comment again letting me know (include a link to your post) -- 1 entry


• Fan She Runs, She Eats on Facebook and comment to let me know -- 1 entry


• Follow me on Twitter and Twit about this giveaway -- 1 entry

Deadline for entry is on Tuesday, June 15th. I'll randomly choose a winner and post on Wednesday. Good luck!
(Open to US residents only)

Voting begins on Recipe Rivalry on Thursday, June 17th. I'll post a reminder on that day.

1. Lentils with Jalapeno, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco

2. Lentil Olive Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

3. Lentil Enchiladas with Homemade Ancho Chile Sauce

4. Lentil Sprout Spring Rolls with Shrimp

5. Roasted Garlic and Lentil Bechamel Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes

6. Split Green Pea Crab Rangoons with Sticky Ginger-Garlic Dipping Sauce

roasted garlic and lentil Béchamel sauce with roasted tomatoes

My fifth recipe for the USA Dry Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry is for a Béchamel sauce with pureed lentils replacing the majority of the milk in the sauce. The sauce is flavored with roasted garlic and fresh tarragon for a nice, light flavor that can be used in a variety of ways, like pasta and poached eggs. Accompanied with the sauce is a side of roasted tomatoes. The flavor of the tomatoes becomes intensified and slightly caramelized when roasted, and compliments the flavors of the sauce extremely well.

What's great about this sauce is that it sort of looks like a cheese (Mornay) sauce. But it's not. But it also has some solid protein going on thanks to the lentils. I chose to go with yellow lentils again so it would give the sauce a nice, neutral color. The lentils are cooked with a mirepoix of carrot, celery, and onions, which are sauteed for a bit before broth (you can use either chicken or vegetable) is added. Once that's heated up, the lentils are added and cooked until tender, then pureed. Roasted garlic is added to the roux of the Bechamel for a little flavor boost. The taste remains light and not overpowering. My addition of tarragon might be a bit different than what you're used to, so start with just 1/2 a tablespoon and taste to see how you like it. Feel free to use the herb of your choice.

All that's left is a little shaving of aged parmesan and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt to finish, and what you have is a perfectly delightful twist on a traditionally heavy sauce. Still filling, but in a different, healthier way.

If you would like more of a brunch option, you can serve the sauce with soft poached eggs. The lightness in flavor and texture of the sauce compliments the eggs, leaving the flavors to blend together without one overpowering the other. And nothing is better than the taste of the runny yolk mixing with the sauce. Also, don't forgo the making of the roasted tomatoes as it compliments everything and will be the missing piece to the puzzle if you leave it out.

So here you have a great basic white sauce featuring lentils to use in a variety of ways, depending on what you happen to be craving at the time. You could also use this sauce in a lasagna, too.

Recipe after the jump.

This recipe was created as part of my involvement with the USA Dried Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry. I'll be blogging about lentil recipes over the next two weeks.

1. Lentils with Jalapeno, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco
2. Lentil Olive Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
3. Lentil Enchiladas with Homemade Ancho Chile Sauce
4. Lentil Sprout Spring Rolls with Shrimp

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Roasted Garlic and Lentil Béchamel Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes
Recipe by Christina Provo

Serves 5-6

For roasted tomatoes and garlic ~

8 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half (bottom edges leveled)
Olive oil
Sugar
Coarse sea salt
Pepper
1 head of garlic

For the lentil puree ~

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/3 cup pink lentils

For the suce ~

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
Roasted garlic cloves from 1 head of garlic
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
lentil puree
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped

For serving ~

1-2 poached eggs per person, or
1 pound cooked fettuccine, cooked al dente, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Thinly sliced spinach
Parmesan, for grating
coarse sea salt

Directions ~

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with just a bit of oil, about 1/4 teaspoon, just a pinch of sugar (to help caramelize the tops), coarse sea salt and pepper. Slice the top of the head of garlic and drizzle with oil. Place, cut side down, on a small sheet of foil and wrap up. Put on same baking sheet as tomatoes, cut side down. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are beginning to char and have shrunk in size. The garlic should feel soft when pressed (check after 30 minutes). Remove sheet from oven.


2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat until hot. Add carrot, celery, and onion; saute for 7 minutes, stirring often. Pour in chicken or vegetable broth and heat to a rapid simmer. Stir in lentils, then cover with a lid and cook until lentils are soft and falling apart, about 20-27 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.


3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. As it's heating, remove garlic cloves and smash with the side of a knife to form a paste. Stir into the butter with 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt and saute for 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in milk and chicken broth and whisk to combine, followed by pureed lentil mixture. Once blended, stir in fresh tarragon. Taste for seasonings.


4. If serving with poached eggs, arrange three roasted tomato halves on the plate and a bed of sliced spinach. Ladle sauce onto the spinach, then top with poached eggs. Grate parmesan cheese on top of eggs and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.


5. If serving with pasta, whisk pasta water into sauce. Arrange plate with three roasted tomato halves and a bed of sliced spinach. Place serving of pasta atop spinach and grate with parmesan cheese and sprinkle with coarse salt.

lentil sprout spring rolls with shrimp

In thinking of creative, unique applications for lentils, I thought of using lentil sprouts in some form. As I was walking through Martin's I was debating between purchasing egg roll wrappers, though finally I settled on spring roll wrappers because I've never made them before, and I figured it would showcase the lentil sprouts the best.

The lentil sprouts obviously have to be made ahead of time. I used the method here, though I used just 1 cup of lentils. The stuff really expands, so make sure your jar is large enough. To reach maximum sproutage, I let mine sit for 4 days. They tasted pretty amazing raw, somewhat nutty and sweet, but I decided to give them a quick steam for this recipe.

Martin's had a great deal for fresh, wild caught shrimp, and since shrimp is my most favorite crustacean in the world there was no way I was passing it up.

The flavoring for the majority of the springs rolls came from the jalapeno and garlic salsa. Finely chopped jalapeno, garlic, a bit of red onion, cilantro, and olive oil are mixed together for a most delicious and quick salsa. You use part of it for the shrimp marinade and as a topping for the lentil sprout and Napa cabbage salad, along with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The rest is used for a dipping sauce along with an avocado-yogurt dip.

Working with spring roll wrappers was easier than I had thought, much like my experience making sushi, though a bit more challenging. You need to briefly wet the wrappers in water and let them stand for at least thirty seconds for it to be pliable enough to roll. What makes it a challenge is if you wet it too much, it's more difficult to roll since the wrapper is floppy. I found that brushing the wrappers lightly on either side with a pastry brush dipped briefly in water was even simpler, and less of a chance of dipping the wrappers in water for too long. I used spring roll wrappers with both tapioca and rice starches. The tapioca is supposed to keep it from tearing as much.

For a step-by-step guide, click here. I followed their "tuck and roll" method, which will take me a bit more practice time to perfect. I was told by a friend to give the rolls one roll before folding the sides over, so I'll do that next time, too. It would give the moistened wrappers something to stick to, which I think is why I had trouble getting the sides to stay folded.

I was very pleased with the flavors, which remained light and summery. The lentil sprout salad was incredible, and since there will be extra you can serve it with the spring rolls along with the salsa and avocado dip.

There are a few steps involved for this recipe, but it would make the perfect dinner party solution if you assemble all the ingredients and let your guests roll their own spring rolls. You can give awards for the most perfectly formed rolls if you wanted to make it a contest, even!

Kidding.

Recipe after the jump.

This recipe was created as part of my involvement with the USA Dried Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry. I'll be blogging about lentil recipes over the next two weeks.

1. Lentils with Jalapeno, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco
2. Lentil Olive Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
3. Lentil Enchiladas with Homemade Ancho Chile Sauce

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lentil sprout spring rolls with shrimp
Recipe by Christina Provo

Serves about 6

salsa ingredients ~

1 1/2 cup finely chopped jalapeno (seeded and deveined -- seeds can be added depending on level of heat preference)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
7 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup slightly packed cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup olive oil

avocado dip ingredients ~

2 avocados
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

shrimp ingredients ~

1 pound shrimp, peeled (about 3 shrimp per spring roll)
1 tsp chili powder

lentil-cabbage salad ~

9 cups lentil sprouts (sprouted from 1 cup brown lentils)
4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt

Additional filling ingredients ~

1/2 English cucumber, julienned
1/2 a bell pepper, seeded and cored, julienned into 26-28 thin strips
12-15 spring roll wrappers (the ingredients should include both tapioca and rice starches, preferably)

directions ~

1. Mix salsa ingredients together; set aside.


2. Process avocados, yogurt, and garlic together in the bowl of a food processor until smooth. Scrape into bowl and stir in lime juice and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.


3. Mix shrimp with chili powder. Stir in 1/4 cup salsa and marinate for 15-20 minutes. Heat skillet to medium hot. When skillet has heated, reduce heat to medium and add shrimp. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Remove to bowl to cool. (You won't need to grease the skillet since there's oil in the salsa).


4. While shrimp marinates, heat 2-3 inches of water in a large pot fitted with a steamer tray. When water reaches a rapid simmer, place lentil sprouts on top of tray and cover with a lid. Steam for five minutes. Remove to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes before tossing with the cabbage, 2/3 cup salsa, lime juice, and salt. Set aside.


5. Fill a small bowl with warm water. Assemble ingredients in an assembly line fashion on your work space -- you want everything within reach. Place a large cutting board on the counter for wrapping up spring rolls, and a platter to place them on once rolled.


6. Place a spring roll wrapper on the cutting board. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides lightly with water -- you want to just barely moisten the wrapper. Let sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute to allow the wrapper to soak in the moisture, making it pliable enough to roll.


7. On the bottom 1/3 edge (nearest you), line wrapper with 3 shrimp, no more than 1/4 cup lentil sprout salad, about 5 strips of cucumber and 2 strips of red bell pepper. Fold the bottom up and over filling, tucking it in tightly, then fold the sides over. Continue to roll and tuck until it's completely wrapped. Place on platter and repeat process until the remaining shrimp is used.

Serve with avocado yogurt dip, and remaining salsa and lentil sprout salad.

lentil enchiladas with homemade ancho chile sauce

Next up for the lentil challenge is a really tasty recipe for lentil enchiladas. The premise of this recipe came from when my mom made chimichangas (I don't care what Summer says, I could eat them year round) filled with lentils, cooked similarly to that of refried beans. The taste was light and less heavy than with meat, and it makes a great alternate option in case you happen to be out of the refried beans.

To up the authenticity factor, I decided to go ahead and make up my own ancho chile sauce following the basic technique you will find in many cookbooks. This consists of preparing the dried ancho chiles by removing the stems and seeds, briefly cooking them over a hot, dry cast iron skillet, then soaking them in boiling water until soft.

You then puree the chiles with a portion of the soaking liquid and regular water with some spices, press the mixture through a sieve to finish with a smooth, but still thick sauce, and heat briefly in a pot with a few more ingredients. A bit more intensive than the sauce I last posted about, though the results are worth it. Also, both the sauce and the lentils can be prepared a few days in advance, if needed.

For this recipe I chose to go with the skinless yellow lentil (it almost looked pink to me, but cooked up yellowish), supplied by the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council for the contest, because they intentionally cook up softer than brown lentils (which you would have to overcook to reach the consistency needed -- you still can do that and it works perfectly, but pink lentils, if available, cook quicker). You don't want a complete mush. Rather, the lentils should be beginning to break down and the consistency overall will resemble refried beans.

I cooked the lentils simply with chopped onion and garlic, then added a packet of Goya seasoning (which you can find in the Mexican section of the "ethnic foods" aisle of the grocery store) and a bit of salt. The lentils lose their pinkness when cooked, so the Goya helps to bring out the yellow color.

To prepare the enchiladas, warmed flour tortillas are dolloped with the lentils and some Mexican blend shredded cheese, then warmed up tightly (think Cuban cigar-crepe episode of Seinfeld, but back off a bit).

The sauce is ladled on top of the enchiladas as well as cheese to bake in as the dish cooks. After a bit, I took it out and dolloped yogurt on top along with extra chopped onion and chopped cilantro. Bake for a few minutes longer, then remove from the oven to rest a bit before serving.

This was a really wonderful dish. The lentils were great and added a light, neutral flavor to the enchiladas, and the chile sauce tasted like what you'd expect at an authentic Mexican restaurant. The amount of sauce made ensures that there's some that doesn't completely soak into the tortillas, perfect for lading on top of rice. The cilantro and onions gave the dish a nice flavor contrast, and the yogurt helped cool the sauce (which was a bit spicy, but not so much once it baked) down a little. So if you're looking for a vegetarian enchilada recipe, or just a different variation, try using lentils as the filling. You might even fool tricky eaters since the filling resembles gooey cheddar cheese!

Recipe after the jump

This recipe was created as part of my involvement with the USA Dried Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry. I'll be blogging about lentil recipes over the next two weeks.

1. Lentils with Jalapeno, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco
2. Lentil Olive Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

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lentil enchiladas with homemade ancho chile sauce
Recipe by Christina Provo

Serves 6

For lentil filling ~

2 cups pink lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 packet Goya Sazón with Coriander and Annatto seasoning
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

For ancho chile sauce ~

6 dried ancho chiles
1 medium onion, chopped, divided
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

For enchilada assembly ~

12 8-inch flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican blend (unseasoned) cheese
Plain yogurt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Cooked white rice, for serving

directions ~

1. Place lentils, onions, garlic, and oregano in a medium sized saucepan with 3 1/4 cup water. Bring just to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a constant simmer. Skim any foam that rises to top. Stirring occasionally, partially cover with a lid, and cook for about 20 minutes or until lentils have broken down, but not to a complete mush. There shouldn't be much water left -- you're looking for the lentils to resemble the consistency of refried beans. Remove from heat. Stir in Goya and salt; set aside.


2. Prepare ancho chiles by carefully slitting them open and removing the stems and seeds. Flatten chiles as much as you can.


3. Heat a dry 10-inch cast iron skillet to medium-high. Once heated, carefully press each chile down in the skillet, pressing to keep the chiles down against the bottom. Cook for 5 seconds, then flip over and cook for another 5 seconds; repeat with remaining chiles. Place in a bowl and cover with 4 cups boiling water. Cover bowl and let stand for 15 minutes, to soften chiles.


4. Reserve 1 1/4 cup soaking liquid. Place chiles in a blender with half of the chopped onion, all the garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, soaking liquid, and 3/4 cup water. Cover blender and puree until smooth. Working with half the sauce, strain chile sauce through a fine mesh sieve placed over a large bowl. Press and stir the liquid with the back of a large spoon, pressing to remove as much liquid as you can and push the chile sauce through the sieve. You will end up with a really thick, paste-like substance of chile residue. Ladle sauce into a large liquid measuring cup. Repeat with remaining sauce; you should end up with 2 to 2 1/4 cup sauce, and it should be somewhat thick.


5. Pour sauce into a medium saucepan and whisk in vinegar, cocoa powder, and sugar. Bring to a rapid simmer, then reduce heat and let cook for five minutes.


6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. wrap tortillas in foil and warm in oven for 10 minutes.


7. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Ladle 1/4 cup sauce on the bottom of the dish. Assemble tortillas by spooning about 3 tablespoons (use a 1/4 cup measuring cup, but don't fill it completely) lentils along the bottom thirds of a tortilla and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up tightly and place in casserole dish. Repeat until all tortillas are rolled. Pour sauce on top, spreading to cover the tops of the tortillas. Sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes. Remove dish from oven. Dollop enchiladas with yogurt and sprinkle with remaining onion and 1/4 cup cilantro. Bake an additional 5 minutes, then remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with rice and additional cilantro.

lentil olive salad with fresh mozzarella

My second recipe for the USA Dry Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry is a lentil and olive salad. There's a cafe in town that sells this incredibly delicious olive salad, and it always stood out in my mind because it makes the perfect snack, or light lunch, it fills you up without putting you into a food coma, and olives offer all sorts of nutrition.

In my version, I decided to replace some of the lentils with pardina lentils. If you do your lentil research (which I would suggest you doing before cooking up a batch of lentils that breaks down more than other lentils, because that's just what that type of lentil does...) you'll find that pardina lentils hold their shape incredible well after cooking, and in a salad with ingredients of substance that's exactly the kind of lentil you want, for presentation factor as well as texture.

As the lentils cooked up in water infused with herbs, onions, and garlic, I set to work chopping the olives (kalamata and green onions), onions, capers, and red onion. The simple vinaigrette consists of golden balsamic vinegar (or any other light vinegar of your preference), basil-infused olive oil, a bit of Dijon mustard, fresh tarragon, and sea salt, all poured over the olives and mixed right in the bowl. Simple enough. Once the lentils have finished cooking, I drained them and rinsed under cold water to stop them from continuing to cook, and finally added them to the olive mixture. My other special ingredient was fresh mozzarella perline, tiny little balls of fresh mozzarella, which I sliced in half. I wanted the texture contrast of the mozzarella against the lentils and olives. Toss everything together, and chill overnight.

The best part about this dish is that it makes the perfect appetizer served with baguette slices, or even inside lettuce leaves. Adding to the versatility, you could make this as a side dish to accompany fish or chicken for a summer salad on top of a bed of arugula or endive.

Seriously an incredible recipe, and I've very pleased with the outcome. In fact, I could eat this for breakfast as an omelette filling, or simply with bread!

Recipe after the jump

This recipe was created as part of my involvement with the USA Dried Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry. I'll be blogging about lentil recipes over the next two weeks.

1. Lentils with Jalapenos, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco

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lentil olive salad with mini fresh mozzarella balls
Recipe by Christina Provo

Makes about 4 cups

ingredients ~

1/2 cup brown pardina lentils, picked and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
10 black peppercorns
5 whole cloves
5 ounces pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup pimento stuffed green olives
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella perline, sliced in half
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tablespoon basil infused extra virgin olive oil, or regular extra virgin olive oil and 1/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tablespoon finely minced fresh tarragon
3/4 tsp coarse sea salt, plus extra for garnish
Baguette slices
Lettuce leaves

directions ~

1. In a medium saucepan, place lentils, onions, and garlic. Spoon oregano, thyme, red pepper, peppercorns and cloves in a tea ball or wrapped in cheesecloth and place in pot. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water and bring just to a boil; cover with lid and reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until lentils are tender to the bite, but not mushy, about 20-25 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, slice olives into quarters, lengthwise, then chop into small pieces. Place in a medium mixing bowl. Add chopped capers, mozzarella, and onion. Drizzle golden balsamic vinegar, mustard, and olive oil on top, along with tarragon and sea salt. Mix together until olives and mozzarella are coated with dressing.


3. When lentils have finished cooking, drain through a fine-mesh sieve and run under cold water until lentils are no longer hot (this will help stop the lentils from continuing cooking). Add lentils to mixing bowl with olives and stir to combine ingredients. Transfer to a container and chill overnight, or at least for three hours.


4. Place salad in a serving bowl, or individual serving dishes, and sprinkle with coarse salt to garnish. Serve lentil and olive salad with baguette slices and lettuce leaves.

USA Dry Peas, Lentils, & Chickpeas Blogger Challenge

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! It's one of my favorite holidays because it gets you thinking outside of yourself, and remembering and honoring those who paused their own lives for the safety of ours.

So, it's going to be a busy couple of days (and by couple, I mean many) around here, and I'll tell you why in a bit. First off, my second race of the year is on Saturday, the Sunburst 10k. I'm looking to hit a personal record, and if I run a smart race (i.e., refrain from starting too fast) I shouldn't have a problem with this. I've also decided to attempt a running streak for June. I feel I run better when I streak because I am almost forced to pay more attention to issues like hydration, nutrition, and recovery. I also simply enjoy being able to run everyday. The first two weeks will be tricky since I'm going to be busy not only with blog stuff, but after the Sunburst I have a 5k roughly two weeks after, the Traffic Jam 5k in Chicago. I'll see what I can do, and I do promise this time to make a concerted effort to at least post a weekly running recap.

On the blog front, I was contacted a week or two back about taking part in a blogger challenge hosted by USA Dry Peas, Lentils, & Chickpeas. The challenge is to come up or uniquely adapt our favorite dried pea or lentil recipes, six in total, and post about them, starting today. After two weeks, we choose our favorite of the recipes created to enter into their contest.

To help jump start the process, I was generously given a Le Creuset Legumier pot, and a monetary compensation for ingredients to the grocery store of my choice. I chose Martin's Super Markets, a locally owned grocery store that's been around since 1947. Not only are they involved in the community, but much of their produce is locally grown when in season. Of course, they (USA Dried Peas & Lentils) also gave me... Guess what? Dried peas and lentils to use!

Since their generosity doesn't end there, you guys can also get in on some of this action, too. Later on, I'll be hosting a giveaway that I'll expand upon next week, so stay tuned.

I started off simply with a lentil dish flavored with jalapenos, cilantro, lime zest, and sprinkled with queso fresco. The method of cooking I used here is similar to that of a risotto, where the liquid is added a little bit at a time until the lentils are cooked until tender, but still retain their shape. Besides the ingredients listed above, the lentils are cooked in a fresh-tomato infused base with chardonnay and chicken or vegetable broth. The resulting dish is flavorful, but as it's a side dish the flavors won't overwhelm the rest of the meal.

Recipe after the jump.

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Print this recipe

lentils with jalapeno, cilantro, and queso fresco
Recipe by Christina Provo

Ingredients ~

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, deveined and seeded, diced
3 garlic cloves, minces
1/2 cup chardonnay
1 2/3 cup grated fresh tomatoes (stem tomatoes, slice in half, and grate; discard skin)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
coarse salt
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco
grated zest of 1 lime

Directions ~

1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion, jalapenos, and 1/4 teaspoons salt and saute for 5 minutes, or until onions are soft. Onions should not brown. Stir in garlic, then add chardonnay. When wine is bubbling, add tomatoes, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a rolling simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until sauce cooks down and thickens slightly.


2. Meanwhile, heat chicken or vegetable broth until hot in another pot.


3. When sauce is ready, stir lentils and two cups chicken broth. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat, maintaining a constant simmer. After 10-15 minute, or until much of the chicken broth has been absorbed by the lentils, stir in half a cup of chicken broth and continue to simmer, stirring often. Repeat, using up all chicken broth, for 30-35 minutes or until lentils are tender to the bite, but still holding their shape. Turn heat off; cover with a lid and let stand for 10-15 minutes.


4. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons cilantro, and lime zest. Check for seasonings, adjusting if necessary. Serve, garnished with queso fresco and additional cilantro.