the whole plate. » lentils

barbecue balance.

leslie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:00:18 +0000

Last night, while dreaming up chia polenta, I knew I wanted a sweet and savory dish alongside. I love pairing polenta with the flavors of barbecue – it reminds me of summer corn on the cob, but in a comforting, wintry sort of way.

Genius Wylie included barbecue lentils in the dish my sister ordered on Saturday, so I took his cue in order to attempt my own (inferior) version.

barbecue lentils (for two)

1/2 c lentils
1.5 c water
evoo
1/2 c onion, chopped
1/2 t ground mustard
1/2 t cumin
3-4 T barbecue sauce (I used Annie’s organic)
1 T maple syrup or molasses
1 T apple cider vinegar
4 c spinach

Bring water to a boil; add lentils and simmer, covered, 20-25 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.

Sauté onion in oil until browned; add spices and sauté another minute. Add barbecue sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, and lentils; stir well to combine. Heat over low about 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend. Fold in spinach until wilted.

With green beans for some extra green and a nice, balanced plate. It was no wd~50, but certainly a worthy accompaniment to the polenta goodness.

What’s your barbecue dish of choice?

cleaning out the fridge.

leslie — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:23:01 +0000

In less than 36 hours (not that I’m counting), I’ll be heading up to Maine for 9 beautiful days of beachside vacationing. I’ll be driving straight from there to the summit, and since I’ll be spending tomorrow evening in Connecticut, I basically needed to empty my refrigerator today.

I used to despise leftovers. I suppose I wanted every meal to be as exciting as possible, and that meant never eating the same thing twice. Over time, however, I’ve learned to be a bit more creative with my leftovers, should I find some in my refrigerator. Sometimes a repeat meal can be even better than the original; on other occasions, a fresh idea can add a bit of a thrill to an old container in the back of the fridge.

Today was one of those days when I needed an inventive concept for my leftover cilantro pesto and pizza cheese. A friend of mine mentioned she was cooking up some stuffed peppers, and I just happened to have stolen a bright orange pepper from my mother yesterday. So, I roasted it up, stuffed some lentils inside, and topped each half with the remaining spreads.

On the plate alongside sweet potato and string beans.

I should probably go pack.

Do you enjoy your leftovers as is? Or do you use them to create something new?

india inspired.

leslie — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:46:16 +0000

This fall, I will be a bridesmaid for one of my best friends, who is engaged to a man from India. The two of them are excellent chefs, often preparing meals inspired by their Italian and Indian roots. Like me, they have an experimental spirit in the kitchen, rarely opening cookbooks or abiding by the instructions of recipes.

I often heard tales of Sara’s cooking adventures while living in India – working in a kitchen without a stove, sweating in 100 degree heat, stocking up on spices for mere pennies. As I began to cook for myself, she obviously became my go-to person for all things Indian.

While I often measure my ingredients when developing recipes, Sara is an avid proponent of simply throwing things into the pot. In high school, I saw her bake (the best) chocolate chip cookies without measuring a thing, and that hasn’t changed as we’ve gotten older. So when I call her to consult on an Indian dish, I typically receive a flexible list of ingredients and guidance only to use my best judgment. I like those kind of rules.

Tonight I tackled dal, which is one of the Indian dishes I feel I have a good handle on. As Sara would say, the spices are flexible, based on whatever is available in your kitchen.

basic dal for one

1 t evoo
1/2 c onion, chopped
1/2 c tomatoes, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t curry powder
1/2 t coriander
1/4 t turmeric
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t garam masala
1/4 c dry lentils
3/4 c vegetable broth
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, sauté 30 seconds. Add spices, sauté 30 more seconds. Add tomatoes, lentils, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer, covered, about 25 minutes, until lentils are soft and liquid has been absorbed. Stir in cilantro just before serving.

Traditionally, this would’ve been eaten utensil free, with only naan to scoop up the dal. Without easy access to freshly baked naan, I served it with rice, broccoli, and a fork.

Have you learned any recipes from a friend?

alternative hummus.

leslie — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:35:32 +0000

I hope everyone enjoyed their fourth, if you were celebrating! Mine began peacefully with some of this:

And ended on a less tranquil note with some of these:

It’s all about balance.

After journeying on a packed train back to the city (in the company of apparently every other inhabitant of the island), I was craving something hearty, but not heavy for dinner.

I visited with a close friend this weekend who currently lives in Dubai, and we spent a bit of time discussing how incredible hummus tastes when enjoyed in its native region. I remember eating hummus in Israel and proclaiming I would never be able to eat it back home again – it was just that good. Still, I’ve wanted to make my own for quite some time. At the moment I am without chickpeas or a food processor, so the traditional kind was out.

With only a blender to work its magic, I chose lentils as the base, assuming they would blend easily. Plus, they fulfilled my yen for “hearty-not-heavy.”

lentil hummus

1/4 c dry lentils
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T lemon juice
1 T tahini
1 t evoo
5 fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Cook lentils until soft, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and place in blender with other ingredients. Blend well. Refrigerate minimum one hour.

I wasn’t sure how this would turn out, so I made the recipe small. But, I’m sure it could be easily doubled or quadrupled for a heftier, longer-lasting amount.

I enjoyed all that I made with dipping utensils: swag bread, crackers, raw zucchini, carrots, and broccoli.

How did you spend your fourth?