Eensy weensy black lentils

[lisas3575]

Bought a bag of 'em at TJs for 615Bride's swap package, and picked up a bag for me too. Now what do we do with them? :confused: :D

[CompassRose]

Are they De Puy lentils by chance? (They aren't really black, but they're darkish and very smallish...) Those would be very fancy lentils! Not that I've ever bought De Puy lentils, can't afford them -- but there are some nouveaux-peasant French dishes that call for 'em -- you know, "gourmet in earthenware" kinds of things. :p

That particular sort of lentil is also supposed to be generally good at NOT falling apart the way lentils usually do... so good for lentil salads, for instance.

[wallycat]

They sound like caviar lentils....
they are very small and very pretty. They retain their black when cooked up.
I bought a can of them to taste them :)
I'd use them in delicate broths or a cream sauce thing...I'm guessing because I've never cooked with dried ones :rolleyes:

[palomalou]

There's a big article on the varities of lentils in the new Cook's Illustrated which just arrived last night. I took it to bed--it's my new addiction!

[615bride]

Great question Lisa!:D

[Wendy w]

I've seen them and am wondering the same thing.

[Kayaksoup]

I am a big fan of lentil soups/stews made with black beluga lentils or DePuy lentils. And, at work, we have actually made a really nice tomato pasta sauce with little lentils and lemon.

[lisas3575]

I'm not sure what variety they are... the label just says "Black Lentils". I don't think they are DePuys, they were very inexpensive. They are about 1/8" across, the size of a medium dragee. There is a recipe on the back of the label for Sausage and Lentil Stew. I could try that with soysage I guess.

I'd love some recipes if anyone has any!

[wallycat]

I haven't tried these recipes but am posting incase you're willing to be our tester and report back :)

Black Beluga Lentil-Pilaf

Serves 4

2 tablespoons Hain® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup basmati rice, uncooked
1 tablespoon currants, dried
1 3/4 cups Westbrae Natural UnChicken Broth
Hain Sea Salt to taste
1 can Westbrae Natural Black Beluga Lentils, drained

Heat oil in large wide saucepan. Add onion and cook, stirring until tender, about 10 min. Add garlic and cumin seeds and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add rice and currants, stir to blend. Add the broth and heat to boiling. Add salt to taste. Stir thoroughly, cover and cook over medium low heat until the liquid is absorbed. Add lentils about 5 minutes before rice is finished. Uncover and let cool for 5 min before serving.

Black Beluga Lentil Soup
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces bacon, small dice
2 cups yellow onions, medium dice
1 cup celery, medium dice
1 cup carrots, medium dice
1/4 cup of each yellow, green and red bell peppers, medium dice
1 each Jalapeño minced, & no seeds
6 ounces smoked ham, medium dice
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
4 quarts chicken stock
2 cups tomatoes, chopped (fresh or canned)
3/4 pounds black Beluga lentils (optional brown or French lentils)
1 each bay leaf
1 tablespoon dry thyme
2 pounds yellow Finn potatoes, large dice
2 dashes Tabasco
1/8 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1/8 cup fresh herbs chopped, such as oregano, sage, rosemary & chives
1 ounce white wine vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation:

In a two gallon stockpot over medium heat, add olive oil and bacon (render fat from bacon). Add onions, celery, carrots, peppers and jalapeño. Sweat vegetables approximately seven minutes until onions turn translucent. Add smoked ham and garlic, cook for one minute. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, black Beluga lentils, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Simmer until lentils are tender. Add potatoes, tabasco, Italian parsley, fresh herbs, white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until potatoes are tender.

A delicious, hearty and comforting soup on a cold winter night.

(Vegetarian option. Use no bacon, ham and substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock.)

Beluga Lentil Salad
Source: Food & Wine

Serves 6 Side-dish Servings

These tiny black lentils get a Latin flavor from smoky poblanos and chorizo.
1 1/2 cups beluga lentils (1/4 pound)
4 garlic cloves, 2 smashed, 2 minced
1 carrot, halved crosswise
1 small yellow onion, halved
4 cups water
2 large poblano peppers
1/2 chorizo sausage, casing removed, meat finely diced (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 small red onion, cut into slivers
2 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus cilantro leaves for garnish
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils with the smashed garlic, carrot, yellow onion and water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the lentils are just tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the lentils and discard the garlic, carrot and onion. Let the lentils cool slightly.

Meanwhile, roast the poblanos over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning them several times, until charred all over. Transfer them to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 15 minutes. Peel, core and seed the poblanos, then cut them into slivers.


In a small skillet, cook the chorizo over high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain the chorizo on paper towels.


In a large bowl, combine the lentils with the poblanos, chorizo, red onion, eggs, chopped cilantro and minced garlic. Add the lime juice and oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle the cilantro leaves over the top and serve.


MAKE AHEAD: The salad components can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated separately overnight. Return the lentils to room temperature and rewarm the chorizo before tossing with the remaining ingredients.

[Wendy w]

Here's one that I found online. Good luck.

Curried Black Lentil Soup
Sanjiv Singh
Serves 4-5.

Several people asked me for the recipe of the lentil soup that Sonia and I cooked last night. Since it is somewhat modified from the recipe that appears in my cookbook, here is what I really use:

The main ingredient is black lentils, a smaller version of black beans, and will require a trip to an Indian store. They are called "urad dal" (pronounced "oo-rudh daal"). This is a very common dish in north Indian households. This dal is tougher than other dals and tastes best after it has been simmering for a couple of hours. Buy a pressure cooker or test your patience if you want to make this dish.

1 cup mah dal (black lentils)
4 cups water
1 green chili chopped (or substitute with 1/2 tsp cayenne)
3 tbsps vegetable oil
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped into tiny pieces
1 medium onion, sliced finely
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Wash the dal in several changes of water. Drain and add the 4 cups of water. Add salt and half of the ginger; cook on low heat for 2 - 3 hours or pressure cook for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil, add remaining ginger, sliced onions, chili, and fry until golden brown. Add the cumin and pepper and stir. Pour the above mixture into the dal and simmer for at least another 30 minutes. The longer you simmer, the better it will taste. Add more salt to taste if necessary.

From the Dinner Co-op

[Carpathia]

I saw those black lentils at Trader Joes as well. They looked like Kali Daal, a black lentil used in a typical Indian/punjabi dish called... Kali Daal.. :) Anyway Wendy w posted the standard Kali Daal recipe above. I actually made this exact recipe when my parents visited in October on Diwali (an Indian holiday) and they loved it!! (they are punjabi and thus have tasted many versions of kali daal). In fact everyone who came over that night wouldn't stop talking about my Kali Dahl. Finally I had to tell them it was actually Sanjiv Singh's recipe. :p

As is pointed out in the recipe, they take FOREVER took cook. I only cooked them once in a regular pot. It took much longer than the 2-3 hours Sanjiv suggests. Now I only make them in a pressure cooker.

Good luck!

[Kahlico]

This is from Nigella Bites :



Italian Sausages with Lentils:

3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
sprnkling of salt
about 2 3/4 cups (18 oz) dried puy lentils (caviar lentils are fine)
1 fat garlic clove, squished with a knife, skin removed
8 Italian sausage links
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon red wine
1/4 cup water


Put 2-3 tablespoons of the oil in a good-sized saucepan on medium heat and when it's warm, add the chopped onion. Sprinkle with salt and cook on low to medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils, stire well, and then cover generously with cold water. Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer gently for a half hour or so until cooked and most, if not all, the liquid's absorbed. Wait until sausages are served to add additional salt. Lentils can be cooked in advance.
When lentils are nearly cooked or reheating, cook the garlic in a heavy frying pan coated with a film of oil. Add the sausages and cooke until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and water and let bubble. Cover the pan and let cooke about 15 minutes. Using a fork, mash the now soft garlic into the sauce and taste for seasoning, adding a little more water if it's too strong. Remove the lentils to a shallow bowl and cover with sausages and their gravy. Serve warm.



:D
~Emilie~