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Post by castanea on Jul 22, 2012 22:18:17 GMT -5
Has anyone eaten these or grown them?
Are they really that different than other lentils?
Thanks
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Post by raymondo on Jul 23, 2012 0:55:58 GMT -5
Eaten yes, grown no. They hold their shape quite well when cooked. Where I lived in France the local salad was a lentil salad always made with Puy lentils. I've cooked them myself and find it hard to overcook them but very easy to undercook.
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Post by steev on Jul 23, 2012 2:02:09 GMT -5
Is the multiculturalism of this forum cool or what?
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Post by kwilds on Jul 23, 2012 8:13:47 GMT -5
I got some from a friend last winter and loved them! I had not eaten lentils in quite a while and after trying the french lentils I bought some other kinds thinking maybe I would like them too - not so much! I did save a handful of the ones I had to grow and just pulled up a few of the ripe plants the other day. The spot I had them in was not a great spot at all - it was a dark, dry corner of the garden but it was the only space I had. They grew ok though. I can't really report on productivity yet as the plants are still drying down (actually I think they are dry now but I haven't gotten around to threshing the seed out!) Overall it seems to be a pretty easy crop. I planted in late April and the first dry pods appeared in mid July. I am in Canada zone 5 and had a VERY cool, wet spring this year. I will most certainly give them a better piece of ground next year!
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Post by 12540dumont on Jul 23, 2012 10:36:10 GMT -5
I am trialing lentils. Last year I grew a type called "Baby Blue" from France. This year I have Baby Blue Lentil Dupuy 486128 606609 615674 632632 298122 298121 All of these are French Lentils. After weeding them twice, their foliage crowds out most weeds. The gophers have only taken a few of them. They are drought tolerant and are only getting water once a week. I believe they could go with less, but I have them on the same rotation as beans. I found last year that the only thing I did not like was shelling them. I hope to bloody 'ell that Leo gets the bean cleaning machine assembled before they are harvested. These look like velvet growing of course I'm a beaniac, so I will wax on. These are 25 foot rows, so 100 seeds don't go very far. As you can see, from all of these, I only have two 25 foot rows. I hope by next year to have done a large enough seed increase to have seven 25 foot rows and actually enough to eat! Lentils are part of my long term plan for my CSA to expand my season with dry goods. Attachments:
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Post by castanea on Jul 23, 2012 23:44:21 GMT -5
Great looking plants, Holly. I have never grown lentils (my body really does not like some of them), but they look like a fun crop to grow.
How do you eat lentils?
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Post by 12540dumont on Jul 24, 2012 0:50:06 GMT -5
I like them in soup, salad and curry. This was a new one that I loved...I had no sweets in the garden so I substituted squash.  Smitten Kitchen, she's practically as good as Seasonal Ontario! Curried Lentils With Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard Yields 8 to 10 side-dish servings; 6 main-course servings. 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired, then minced 4 to 5 cups vegetable broth as needed 2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups) 1 1/2 cups dried lentils 1 bay leaf 1 pound Swiss chard, center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro Finely grated zest of 1 lime Juice of 1/2 lime 1/3 cup finely chopped tamari almonds, for garnish (optional), available in health food stores 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for garnish. 1. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder and jalapeno. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 2. Stir in 4 cups broth, sweet potatoes, lentils and bay leaf. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. (If lentils seem dry, add up to 1 cup stock, as needed.) Stir in chard and salt and pepper, and continue cooking until lentils are tender and chard is cooked, about 30 to 45 minutes total. 3. Just before serving, stir in cilantro, lime zest and juice. Spoon into a large, shallow serving dish. Garnish with almonds if desired and scallions. |
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Post by steev on Jul 24, 2012 19:28:28 GMT -5
I don't doubt that lentils cooked that way are delicious, but I will be doing my own dental work before I put that much energy into food preparation. It's good that everyone isn't as lazy as I am in the kitchen.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jul 25, 2012 0:58:29 GMT -5
Good God Steev, you should be here when "I'm cooking." That's an easy dish.....
So, I married a Frenchy. They love their food. Leo loves his food. As a spouse he'll forgive a few dirty windows, some diversion of funds (okay so I might have spent too much money on postage or seeds)....but he doesn't like a poor super. He gives me a great latitude for super on the table, and lunch in his bucket.
Frankly, he's gotten positively lax. In the early days, he wanted breakfast too...sometimes in bed.
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Post by mountaindweller on Jul 25, 2012 1:48:31 GMT -5
Lentils and Spätzle is about the best food for winter, with a sausage and some speck. Spätzle are like home made pasta, but very different in consistency with a lot of eggs in it. We cook the lentils with a bit of vinegar. But nothing for lazy cooks.
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Post by steev on Jul 25, 2012 2:54:29 GMT -5
Well, eating in bed is just civilized; what's that got to do with cooking?
I'm not lazy; I just prefer to work my butt off in the garden and I'm satisfied with foods unadorned, same as women.
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Post by mountaindweller on Jul 25, 2012 5:19:43 GMT -5
Didn't want to say you're lazy,sorry. Only that the dish is a bit of work that means I don't cook it too often. It is very traditional.
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Post by mayz on Jul 26, 2012 6:21:23 GMT -5
I just prefer to work my butt off in the garden and I'm satisfied with foods unadorned, same as women. Steev, I agree with you I like cooking but to eat a fruit out of hand is a unique pleasure.  |
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Post by templeton on Jul 30, 2012 4:40:59 GMT -5
I don't doubt that lentils cooked that way are delicious, but I will be doing my own dental work before I put that much energy into food preparation. It's good that everyone isn't as lazy as I am in the kitchen. It's amazing how we have different perspectives on what constitutes toil. Holly's recipe just looks like a no fuss enjoyable half hour or so in the kitchen. Including making up the garam masala and curry powder  At least we agree on the other necessity for life I've just purchased a rather expensive half kilo of du Puy lentils to try. And I'm tempted to try a few plants to see how they do this spring. T T |
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Post by 12540dumont on Jul 30, 2012 10:18:13 GMT -5
Templeton, they are mostly trouble free. It's the shelling them that takes time. Mine are just starting to flower. I understand that they are another one that can be planted very early in spring.
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