Stock up on versatile lentils for quick pot of soup

Published 6:42 pm Tuesday, March 11, 2008

I’d been a week on the road and arrived home to a relatively empty refrigerator.

I was sick of restaurant food, but lacked the oomph to get creative with what was close at hand.

At least that’s what I thought.

But there were a few weary-looking vegetables in the produce bin, some sausages in the freezer and a bag of lentils in the pantry. It appeared that my culinary instincts were leading me toward a big ol’ pot of soup.

Once again, lentils to the rescue!

I find it pretty amazing that more people don’t cook with lentils and their close cousin, dried split peas. Both types of legumes are inexpensive, versatile, low in fat and high in fiber. In fact, each one’s a veritable nutrient factory, packed with protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

And most remarkable of all, they cook relatively quickly .

Cooking basics

For lentils, simply rinse and drain. They don’t need to be soaked like dried beans do.

Like rice, the ratio is twice as much liquid as lentils. Combine them with the water or broth, and a little salt if desired.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer until the lentils are tender, which takes only about 30 minutes.

For split peas, again, no soaking is required.

The ratio of liquid to dried peas is slightly different. For every cup of peas, use 21/3 cups of liquid, plus a little salt, if desired.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer until the peas are tender, about 40 minutes.

Spicy sausage and lentil soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 pounds Bruce Aidell’s Creole sausage (see note), chopped into 1/2-inch chunks

2 medium-sized yellow onions, peeled and diced

8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups (about 1 pound) uncooked lentils, washed and picked over for stones

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc

6 cups tightly packed chopped fresh spinach (or about 3/4 of a 20-ounce bag of frozen chopped spinach)

1 28-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes with juice

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onions and garlic and saute until the onions soften, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and lentils.

When the liquid has come to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes. Stir in the wine, spinach, tomatoes and pepper.

Bring the soup to a simmer and continue cooking, covered, for an additional 15 minutes to merge the flavors.

Garnish each serving with some chopped fresh parsley.

Note: Bruce Aidell’s Creole sausage is available at most supermarkets; any good-quality Creole sausage, linguica or chorizo can be substituted.

Makes 8 servings.

Chunky lentil soup

1-1/2 cups lentils

2 cups diced Yukon Gold potato

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

5 cups chicken broth

3 cups water

3 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed and finely chopped

1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco

2 6-inch corn tortillas, cut in half, then into julienne strips

Sort through lentils, discarding any damaged lentils or stones. Wash the lentils in a sieve held under cold tap water.

Place the lentils, potatoes, onions, carrots, thyme, broth, and water in a pot and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Stir well, reduce the heat to ver low, cover, and boil gently for about 50 minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes are very tender, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Toward the end of the cooking, add the garlic, salt and hot pepper sauce. When ready to serve, add the tortilla strips, bring the soup back to a boil, then serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Adapted from “Jacques Pepin’s Simple and Healthy Cooking,” by Jacques Pepin

Split pea gratin

1 cup dry split peas, rinsed and drained

3 cups water or chicken broth

2 cups dry bow-tie or cut fusilli pasta

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine the split peas and the water (or chicken broth) in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the pasta and cook, covered, for an additional 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir frequently to avoid scorching.

Remove the pot from the heat and drain off the liquid. Add the garlic, the olive oil, and the butter. Toss and stir until the butter has melted. Stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Scrape the mixture into a lightly greased shallow baking dish. Combine the Parmesan cheese and the parsley and sprinkle over the pasta mixture. Bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese has browned and the dish is very hot.

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.