I could’ve called these Awesomely Versatile Lentils, because that’s just what they are – awesome, versatile, hearty AND lemony. There’s something wonderfully grounding & robust about lentils, and having a batch ready to go in the fridge gives you an instant flavoursome protein hit to add to all sorts of meals. Stir the lentils through brown rice or quinoa, mix them with salad greens and chunky raw veges, put them in a toasted sandwich, or – and this is pretty spectacular – whip up a breakfast of champions: lentils on toast with a poached egg on top, bullseye!
This was a staple breakfast for me when I was breastfeeding my son – after a long night feeling like half my body weight & brain cells had flowed out my milk ducts, this was my go-to meal to power me up (lucky I had a baby who could deal with lentils…baby number two? Nope!) You can tart up the lentils with a handful of any herbs you have at hand, or just enjoy them in all their earthy lemony simplicity.
1 cup raw brown lentils (the little black French puy ones work well too)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
2.5 cups vege stock, possibly more (or 1 tsp of gf stock powder dissolved in 2.5 cups water)
1 lemon – juice and finely grated zest
salt, pepper or herbs to taste
Rinse the lentils and pick out any residual grit. (You can soak the lentils in water prior to cooking, if you like – this will help shorten their cooking time. I sometimes soak in the morning, then cook in the evening.)
Use a big heavy-based fry pan with a lid, if you’ve got one, or otherwise use a pot with a lid.
Heat the oil on a fairly low heat, add the onions & garlic and cook until gently translucent, not coloured.
Add the lentils to the pan/pot, stir well and let them have a quick fry in the oily mixture for a minute or two.
Add the stock, bring to the boil, then lower the heat right down and cover.
The aim here is for soft, moist lentils that have absorbed all the cooking liquid. If you pre-soaked your lentils, they may be ready in about 20 minutes. (If the lentils are old, they’ll take longer to soften. I remember once waiting AN HOUR for one batch….yawn) If they’re not quite cooked and you’re running out of liquid, feel free to add another ¼ cup of water or stock as needed. I urge you to check the lentils to ensure they’re not sticking – and keep taste-testing to check the softness. Depending on the cooking temperature, plus the type and age of lentil, it might end up being around the 40 minute mark until they’re done.
Once cooked, add the juice and zest of one lemon and stir well. Add any herbs or seasoning to taste.
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