I occasionally use common brown lentils for soups and Indian lentils when preparing Indian dishes, but I use the de Puy and Beluga lentils so often (typically several times monthly) that I always keep a supply on hand. In warm months I’ll prepare a salad of the cooked, room-temperature or chilled lentils, thin slivers of sweet onion, peppers and fresh herbs (flat-leaved parsley, rosemary, marjoram — whatever I have on hand) tossed with a simple vinaigrette and served on lettuce leaves. I almost always use Spanish sherry vinegar in the dressing.
It’s my hands-down favorite, most oftenused vinegar, with a wonderfully nutty flavor — and another thing that locally is (to my knowledge) only available at Incredibly Delicious. Endless variations are possible: slivers of apple, fennel bulb, etc. can be added to or substituted for the raw vegetables. Use it as a side salad, or add crumbled feta cheese and/or shrimp to make a main course.
In cooler weather, I often make a leek or onion and lentil gratin. Sauté thinly sliced white part of leeks or onions in a little butter or olive oil until soft and tender. If using onions, they can continue to cook, uncovered, until they become caramelized, if you desire. The proportion of leeks/onions to lentils can vary, but use at least one cup of (uncooked) sliced leeks/onions per cup of lentils. Stir in a bit of cream or sour cream if you’d like. It’s entirely optional — but be careful: the vegetables should be just barely coated with cream, not swimming in it. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add a few pinches of fresh or dried herbs, and pour into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs combined with grating cheese, such as Parmesan, then bake in a preheated 350° oven until the top is browned and the contents are bubbling, about 20-30 minutes.
I most often cook them with onions and/or garlic and herbs either alone or combined with couscous, as in the pilaf below, and serve them either alongside or underneath lamb chops, pork chops, salmon, chicken etc. Regular instant couscous is another of the busy cook’s best friends. But Israeli couscous — another hard-to-find item exclusively available locally at Incredibly Delicious — is extra special and as quick to prepare as lentils. Sometimes called “pearl” couscous, the tiny balls are about the same size as the Le Puy and Beluga lentils, and have a unique texture and flavor (they’re lightly toasted) that’s wonderful alone, in soups, and in this pilaf.
LENTIL AND COUSCOUS PILAF
½ c. French green lentils (lentils de Puy) or black Beluga lentils 1 bay leaf 1 garlic clove, smashed, or ½ tsp. minced garlic kosher or sea salt ½ c. thinly sliced onion, not super-sweet 2 T. unsalted butter ¾ c. instant couscous or ¾ c. toasted Israeli couscous 1 c. water or chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, plus additional if needed
Combine the lentils, bay leaf and garlic in a small saucepan, add water to cover by one inch and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the lentils are tender, but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, drain, mix in a large pinch of salt, and reserve.
Return the saucepan to the stove and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and ¼ tsp. salt, cover the pan and let the onions “sweat” for a few minutes until they are translucent. Uncover the pan and continue to cook the onions until they are caramelized and golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
Add the water or stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Add the couscous, stir to combine, and cover the pan. If you are using instant couscous, remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until the couscous has absorbed the liquid. Stir to fluff the couscous.
If you are using the Israeli couscous, cover the pan, reduce the heat to a bare simmer, and cook until the couscous pearls are cooked through, but still “al dente” and not mushy — about 10 minutes, although I’ve found that this varies with different varieties, probably because some are toasted more than others. You may need to add a little additional water or stock. Let stand for a few minutes; if the liquid is not completely absorbed, drain it off. Add the lentils and mix until well combined.
(If the lentils have completely cooled, reheat them gently in the microwave before adding to the couscous.) Serve immediately.
Serves 2 - 4