Lentil soup recipes wanted

[Carltonian Man]

If you rinse them then cook in twice as much stock (eg 1 cup of lentils to 2 cups of stock) until virtually all the stock absorbs, the lentils should be kind of al dente. They benefit from a splash of oil to lubricate and make a perfect bed on which to sit shellfish with slivers of chilli or maybe sliced liver or roasted veg. Bonus is they don't get the wind up like most lentils.

[Millymollymandy]

I had a better look in my pulse cupboard and realised that they are not puy lentils but flageolet beans in a green nylony mesh bag - well it looked like a bag of something small and green lurking in the back of the cupboard! However I then discovered a box of 'lentilles blondes' which are probably cooked the same way - oh well more things to experiment with - I've never cooked or even eaten flageolet beans! Must stop this impulse buying!

[Green Aura]

Flageolet beans are my all-time favourite pulse. They're far too nice to chuck in stew or soup. Try them as a side dish, they don't usually need as much cooking time as other pulses, then toss them in a little butter, lemon juice and tarragon. Or cream and other herbs. Or a sauce of your choice.

Or....... you can do whatever you want with them , just remember they have a delicate constitution and flavour, so treat them nicely

[Millymollymandy]

Ta Maggie, I've already looked up a few recipes and quite a lot are salads.

By the way just for a laugh did you know that the French word for lentil (lentille) also means contact lens in French? I guess it just means lens as they have them on cameras too but it's quite amusing. Also pastry and pasta are the same word in French so it can get a bit confusing sometimes!

[Mrs Moustoir]

I read this thread the other day and really fancied making some ham and lentil soup. As an experiment, I've bought a small "jarret - demi sel" which LOOKS like a ham hock . It is going in the slow cooker soon and I'll let you know how it turns out!

[Green Aura]

Did you soak it first Mrs M?

My French is a bit rusty but not so much I can't recognise "half-salted". Just don't add any more salt til you've tasted it

[Mrs Moustoir]

You've read my mind GA! I've just been looking at it and think I'll give it a soak from now and cook it tomorrow.

Yes, I've read that as "half salted" - not quite sure how that compares to fully salted but hey - it might be nice and it was cheap.

[Green Aura]

Well bacon joints and suchlike are salted, a soak makes them OK. If I'm a bit short of time (or more usually not sufficient forward planning ) bring once to the boil in a big pan of water then chuck that and add the meat to whatever. I've even put it in, as is, but then not added anything else with salt in until checking it.

The problem if it's too salty is that your pulses won't soften - although I'm sure red lentils would.

[Uller]

I love soup made with bacon, root veg, green/brown lentils & stock - yummy. I took some in to work one day and a colleague said 'How can you eat that - it's brown!'. I asked the same question when she was drinking her venti skinny white chocolate crappuncino or some such monstrosity later that day!

[JillStephens7]

Will be trying some of the lentil soup recipes. Sound great.

I love puy lentils or green lentils in veggie 'bolognese' with spaghetti.

Fry onions, garlic and carrot in olive oil, add red pepper, mushrooms parsley, oregano & basil & fry until veggies are nearly soft. A sploosh of red wine is nice at this point if you like it.

Add lentils and boiling stock and simmer til soft. Season, add tomatoes and simmer a wee bit more while cooking the spaghetti. Yum yum : )

[Millymollymandy]

Good idea Jill, I expect you could do the same with chilli. Might try that with my 'blonde' lentils.

[JillStephens7]

Not my idea at all! From 'So what DO you eat', one of my favourite cook books by Liz (wait for it ...) Cook

[Millymollymandy]

tee hee

[Millymollymandy]

I tried the flageolet beans but wasn't very impressed - I think there's far nicer beans out there! I shall have to just 'lose' the rest of the bag of them in a casserole or something!

I'm going to try this pumpkin and lentil soup recipe next:

http://www.asda-recipes.co.uk/recipe/887.html

[subgirl]

Well, not in any way soup but a great way to use lentils: Lentil Loaf!

Its proper easy, filling and cheap. Being veggie I usually have it as Sunday roast then eat it for the next few days in sandwiches, its amazing cold with onion or chilli chuney

dunno about quanities because I learnt to do it by eye but ingrediants are:

Lentils
one or two sticks of celery
small apple (apple and lentils are great)
couple of mushrooms
enough cider to boil the lentils
one egg
dash of salt and pepper
bit of what ever herbs you reckon would be nice (I usually use rosemary if its with roasts)

line a loaf tin with foil and grease it, bung the oven on highest. cook the lentils in the cider untill they are soft and pretty much all the stock has been absorb (want it dry or it will take forever to cook). in the mean time dice all the veg nice and small and put in a mixing bowl. when the lentils are done dont drain them, just stick em in with the veg. add the herbs and egg, mix till its all combined and spoon into the loaf tin. cover with foil and cook bake for about 45min, basicly until its firm. uncover and cook for another 5min to give and easy to slice crust and voila

can use other pulses but best with red lentils, and if you have any other non root (like pepper, but maybe not aubegine)veg sitting around chuck em in too. if you do want to put carrot in or whatever its best to grate it first or it doesnt really cook.also, i only use cider when i can afford, veg stock is good too. you could even go nuts and put half a stock cube in the cider!