Chicken Salad with Camelina Tarragon Vinaigrette

About a year ago chef and cookbook author David Leite of Leite's Culinaria formed a new group called the Fatty Daddys. He was going through a difficult time and needed support. Immediately the group filled and I can't believe we have not let it go. There are so many motivated and supportive members helping each other in their weight loss struggle.

This month one of the members issued a Crunch Challenge. Well, you know, we have been doing planks, running, jumping, skipping and everything active. Naturally we assumed it was another activity but no, it is a challenge to crisp things up with salads.

I created the same challenge for myself a few years back when I was housesitting in Tennessee. I made a salad a day for a month. So here I am again. New location, different ingredients and a different time in my life. I pledge to post my salad whether it is noteworthy or not. I am looking forward to this month of interesting and challenging salads.

This is a salad for one person. I was essentially using what was available in my refrigerator. What fun! I didn't see a crunchy salad when I peered in. Boy, was I wrong.

Chicken Salad with Camelina Tarragon Vinaigrette

1/2 cup shredded roast chicken
1 carrot, coarsely grated
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon camelina oil
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 radish coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon crunchy chickpea snack

 Combine camelina oil, tarragon vinegar, Dijon mustard in a jar with a lid and shake to make the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium sized bowl combine onion, carrot and radish. Add vinaigrette and stir to coat. Add the rest of the ingredients except crispy chickpeas. Toss to coat all ingredients.

Plate the salad and garnish with crispy roasted chickpeas.

Roasted Chickpea Snack

Use any seasonings you have on hand.

• 15 fl.oz. can chickpeas, drained
• canola oil
• 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. chili pepper powder  
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. curry powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Drain chickpeas in a colander and let them dry completely. Spread the chickpeas on a baking sheet and leave them on the counter an hour to make sure they are very dry. This may take an hour or so. Preheat oven to 375 F.

Drizzle or spray chickpeas with oil and roast for about 35 to 45 minutes, shaking the pan every ten minutes. All ovens are different so make sure they don't burn. They will be golden brown and crunchy on the inside when done, not moist. They will continue to crisp up after taking out of the oven. Mix up all the spices and toss the chickpeas in it while they are still warm.

Wild Mushroom and Lentil Cottage Pie

 

I have always felt a little Irish in my blood, especially in March. This month the Virtual Supper Club is honouring the most popular celebration in Ireland and everyone in the world who wishes they were Irish. On St. Patrick's Day we all have a little Irish in our veins.

 

Cottage pie is traditionally made with beef or lamb, however, this mushroom and lentil version leaves you with no meat cravings. It is hearty and satisfying. The heady drizzle of truffle oil brings it into the nouvelle cuisine category. Take it to the table with a boat of mushroom gravy.

 

March is still a bit nippy 'round the bippy. This comfort food is a perfect casual meal. And a bird never flew on one wing so load up your plate. It's all good for you. 

 

Check on the rest of the dinner with these bloggers and enjoy Irish comfort food at its best:

 

Jerry at A Life, Lived starts the meal with an Irish Cheddar Bacon Dip. There is nothing better than a good Irish cheddar. Then add bacon and it can help but be a crowd pleaser.

Sandy from The Whistlestop Cafe brings a sumptuous Potato Kale Soup with Gruyere.

Val from More Than Burnt Toast has chosen a very Irish side dish of buttery mashed potatoes called Green Onion Champ.

Susan is serving Shamrock Meringue Cups for a very Irish looking dessert. Mmmm. Wouldn't this be good with an Irish coffee?

 

Wild Mushroom and Lentil Cottage Pie

4 servings

2 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato

1/2 tablespoon salt, divided 

2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk or whey

1/2 teaspoon piment d'esplette

1/2 cup dried green lentils

2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil 

1  cup finely chopped onion 

1/2 cup finely diced carrot 

1/4 cup finely diced celery 

1 ounce wild mushroom blend, such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce 

1 tablespoon tomato paste 

1/2 tablespoon white truffle oil

Chopped chives (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Rehydrate dried mushroom in a cup of very hot water. Reserve mushroom soaking liquid.

To prepare topping, place potato and one teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook 20 minutes or until very tender and drain. Return potatoes to the pan. Add buttermilk or whey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and piment d'esplette to potatoes. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Set aside.

To prepare filling, combine lentils, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain, and set aside.

Make mushroom gravy in recipe below.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add half of the mushroom gravy. Add sherry, soy sauce, tomato paste, thyme, and lentils to mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Spoon lentil mixture into a 1-quart casserole. Top with potato mixture, spreading evenly. Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes or until potatoes are golden and lentil mixture is bubbling. Drizzle truffle oil over potatoes. Garnish with chopped chives, if desired. Serve with reserved mushroom gravy.

Mushroom Gravy

2 pounds button and cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/8-inch thick, trimmed 

2 ounces of mixed wild dried mushrooms

reserved mushroom soaking liquid and organic low-sodium canned mushroom or vegetable stock to make 4 cups

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 

2 shallots, finely chopped  

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour  

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Rehydrate dried mushrooms in one cup of boiling water.

Remove stems from mushrooms. Place stems and stock in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 30 minutes. Strain; set aside.

Place 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add shallots, and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook until mushrooms are soft, browned, and all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat; set aside.

Combine remaining 3 tablespoons butter and flour in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring until incorporated and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in stock; bring to a boil, whisking until thickened. Stir in reserved mushroom mixture and thyme. Serve hot.

Brown Basmati Rice & Lentil Pilau with Fenugreek

 

 

In my small town where I only find flat leaf parsley once a year, yes in my garden, you can imagine my disbelief. Fenugreek? I checked the label again and, yes it is fenugreek. Strangely I made a quinoa and lentil pilau, or pilaf as many say, only a few days ago that asked for a cup of chopped fenugreek. I simply omitted it. I have never tasted fresh fenugreek and to make a substitution was unnecessary. There was already lots of flavour.

This reminds me of when I found fresh Black Mission figs at the peak of ripeness. The bewildered produce manager had no idea how one would eat them. I bought a case. They were chopped and added to my farmers’ market loaves. I enjoyed them with a lovely chevre drizzled with local honey. I preserved jam and chutney. That was two years ago.

And then there was the time I found halloumi cheese. I had barely moved to town and was not familiar with anything let alone the standard fare at the grocery stores. I was suitably impressed but that was it. Once. Ditto with angostura bitters. That same Christmas there was an impressive display of angostura bitters. Wish I had bought a few bottles. I have not seen it since.

I looked again at my pilau recipe and it was indeed fenugreek that had been called for. Coincidentally I am making the pilau, this time with brown basmati rice, for a catering gig. Did I dare use the fenugreek? What would it taste like? 

How could I not buy it? I’m sure I’ll never see it again.

Brown Basmati Rice and Lentil Pilau

2 cups cooked brown basmati rice

1/2 cup cooked green lentils

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup finely chopped fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon each of mustard seeds and cumin seeds

4 curry leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon raw cashews

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt, to taste

Cook the rice and lentils separately. I cook both of them like I cook pasta, with lots of water. I drain them when they are cooked but still firm and lay a clean tea towel over them to steam for a few minutes.

Heat oil in a wide saute pan on medium heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When they begin to pop add the cashews and toast. Add turmeric, curry leaves, coriander and saute for a minute or two. Add shallots and carrots. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add rice and lentils. Mix thoroughly. Cover and heat on lowest setting for 8 - 10 minutes or they can be placed in a 325F oven in a covered pot for about 20 minutes.

Fenugreek (/ˈfɛnjʉɡriːk/; Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae with leaves consisting of three small obovate to oblong leaflets. It is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop, and its seeds are a common ingredient in dishes from the Indian Subcontinent. (Wikipedia)

It has a green herbaceous flavour with a slight bitterness. It is very mild in this dish. 

Saskatoon Berry Madeleines

The day after I made these madeleines I took them to the school where I was the substitute teacher. These 6 children on the Colony were my tasting panel. "What is the secret ingredient?" I asked. Well, they said saskatoons and lemons, which of course, I told them were no secret at all. Those were the bold flavours. They could not taste anything unusual or different. They loved these. That is my proof that the lentil flour was a success in this recipe.

A madeleine is a small French butter cake. They are almost like a little cupcake. They can be mixed up in advance, cooked in just a few minutes and are a sure crowd pleaser for any party. They are very 'fashion forward'. Simple, rich and flavourful desserts are in vogue. I had fresh out of the oven madeleines with a chocolate dipping sauce at a very chi chi restaurant last month. I loved the warm and fresh little cakes. It felt decadent and did not break my budget.

Saskatoon berries are a favourite on the Canadian prairies and northern plains of the United States. They are so unique that they have been added to the Slow Food Ark of Taste. The Ark honours foods and food preparation styles that are unique to an area and something we would never want to lose.

The saskatoons have a unique flavour reminescent of blueberries but less sweet and a 'je ne sais quois' that is impossible to describe. Needless to say they are a strong favourite and a coveted experience for anyone visiting the region. The berry is dry and lends itself to baking in batters.

Canadian Lentils has a recipe challenge until April 7.  Pop on over to view all the interesting recipes and 'like' mine so I have a better chance to win some prizes. This is my entry in the Dessert category. I am incorporating the lentils in the flour ingredients. This is my final entry for this contest. I have been cooking with and eating lentils for the past month, and you know what, I like them. I had no idea how many adaptations I could make to incorporate lentils into my recipes.

Green lentils grind easily in a blender to produce a cornmeal textured flour. I have a VitaMix blender and it ground a cup of lentils in less than a minute. Sieve it if you would like a finer flour.

I can see many applications for this flour.

Lentils are naturally gluten-free.  They add a raft of nutrients and dietary fibre. The flavour of green lentils is peppery and works well in many recipes.

This recipe is almost gluten free! These are best served right out of the oven. Rich and delicious. The tart lemon glaze is perfect to compliment the rich and intense flavour of saskatoon berries.

Saskatoon Berry Madeleines

3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup lentil flour, sieved
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
zest of one lemon
2/3 cup saskatoon berries
3/4 cup melted butter, cooled to room temperature plus more to grease pans
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
water

Brush madeleine pan with melted butter. Dust with flour and tap out excess. Refrigerate. I tried both all purpose flour and lentil flour for dusting the pan and I prefer the lentil flour. It is easiest to use a sieve and dust it over the pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip eggs, sugar and salt for 5 minutes until frothy.

Whisk flour with baking powder. Fold egg mixture into flour with spatula.

Add lemon zest to cooled butter and slowly pour butter into batter while gently folding the batter. Fold just until all butter is incorporated.

Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. These were in the refrigerator overnight.

To bake, preheat oven to 425F. Fill indentations in madeleine pan about 3/4 full, approximately 1 large tablespoon. Don't spread out the batter. Just leave it in a clump. I found that a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop was the perfect size.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until cakes feel set. While cakes are baking make the glaze by stirring together icing sugar, lemon juice and enough water to make it smooth.

Remove from oven. Carefully loosen each cake with a table knife while still hot. Cool for a couple of minutes and empty pan onto a cooling rack. The berries can stick to the pan so be gentle. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, dip each cake into the glaze. I only dipped the bottom side but you can do both sides if you wish.  Scrape off excess glaze. Place on rack to cool and let glaze set.

Best served immediately. Can be kept in a container up to 3 days. Do not freeze with the glaze. The glaze will melt.

Lentil Wontons

This recipe is a keeper. Traditionally wontons and dumplings are made with pork and shrimp so I was worried about the intensities of flavours and the texture. Mushrooms have an earthy flavour and are meaty in texture. They were perfect. Any mushroom would work but sliced button mushrooms were on sale this week. I added wild foraged dried Saskatchewan Matsusake mushrooms. Shitakes would be another good choice. I fully cooked the lentils and they held their shape well. They had a nice firm texture in the finished wonton.

These work equally well as potstickers served with a soy dipping sauce or as wontons in a mushroom broth for a vegetarian version of wonton soup.

This is my entry for the recipe contest with Canadian Lentils. I call it my wild card entry because it doesn't fit into any category. Yes, there is a category for that. Click on this link to find all the entries on Facebook. Remember to 'like' my entry to help me win. Comments are nice, too.

Don't be put off by the number of ingredients. Many are always in your kitchen already. There are a lot of veggies which is a good thing. And like with all recipes, just adapt it to your liking. Skipping water chestnuts, for example, will not make this any less appealing.

 Lentil Wontons

1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 c. green lentils, cooked
1 oz. dried wild mushrooms
1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
1 - 227 mL can water chestnuts, coarsely chopped
2 chard leaves, ribs removed chiffonade
1/2 c. yellow onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely shredded
2 tbsp. cornstarch
pinch of white sugar
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice wine
salt and white pepper, to taste
wonton wrappers

Wash lentils and cook in ample water for 30 minutes or 10 minutes in a pressure cooker.

Saute yellow onion in vegetable oil until soft but not browned. Put in a medium sized bowl. In the same pan saute mushrooms until soft. Chop finely in food processor and add to onions in bowl. Meanwhile soak dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid. Finely chop. Add wild mushrooms, fresh ginger, green onion, chard, lentils, water chestnuts, carrot and garlic to bowl. Add sesame oil, rice wine, soy sauce, salt, pepper and cornstarch.




Place a scant teaspoon of the mixture on a wonton wrapper and fold as desired. Round or square wonton wraps can be used. Wet the edge of the wrap and pinch the edges together to seal. I had square shaped wraps in my freezer. Makes approximately 50 wontons.


At this point the wontons can be laid on a parchment lined baking sheet and frozen, then stored in a freezer bag or they can used right away.

For potstickers, fry quickly in a hot pan with vegetable oil until browned. Turn over, add water and cover to finish cooking. The dough should shrink around the filling. Serve with dipping sauce.

These can also simply be boiled and served with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger

Wonton Soup

Mushroom Stock
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, sliced
1 oz. dried shitake mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, smashed, skin left on
bouquet garni of thyme, oregano, bay leaf and black peppercorns

Cook all ingredients in a stockpot with 10 cups of water for 45 minutes without the lid. Strain and discard solids. Use stock to make soup with ingredients below.

wontons

2 chard leaves

finely chopped green onions

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

soy sauce, to taste

salt and white pepper, to taste

Season stock with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Add wontons and simmer until tender Add chopped chard leaves to hot stock.  Serve. Garnish with chopped green onions, if desired.

Lentil Falafel Appetizer

Lots of bloggers tell great stories about life in their kitchen or life on their farm or in their family. I am just not into that. My life isn't so exciting. The best part is the cooking I do almost every day. There always seems to be some inspiration that takes me off on a tangent. At the moment it is the recipe contest with Canadian Lentils. Be sure to click on this link to see their Facebook page. And while you're there, 'like' my recipes and it will help me to be a winner. Well, you are all winners actually. There are some pretty amazing recipes popping up daily.

Falafel balls are usually made with a seasoned chickpea mixture. They are a traditional Middle Eastern recipe and are often stuffed into a fresh pita along with fresh tomatoes, red onions, hot peppers and a tahini sauce for one of the best sandwiches you will ever have.

This appetizer is a riff on that utilizing green lentils. The lentils are quite dry. I tried making the balls without the egg yolk but they fell apart when frying. Adding a little water helped but it was not until I added egg yolk that I had a ball that held together nicely. If you make the balls in advance they can be refreshed in a 350F oven for 5 minutes. Assemble the appetizer just before guests arrive.

Dried mint works best in the yogurt dip. You can find at a Middle Eastern grocer. Thana jeeroo is an Indian spice mixture. It was perfect for this recipe and was the best choice from my spice cupboard. Most kitchens probably don't have this. I know I didn't until I found it recently. Substitute half ground cumin and half ground coriander.

These are still good as leftovers. Just microwave for a few seconds. Delicious. They seem moister after sitting in the refrigerator for a few days or do I just have a bad memory. They are not as crispy but who cares! Someone asked how the flavour compared to chickpeas and I can't tell the difference. Don't be tempted to omit the cayenne. That little kick of heat is really nice.

This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
 
Lentil Falafel Appetizer

1/2 c. dried green lentils
2 T. finely chopped yellow onion
1 minced clove of garlic
1 tbsp. thana jeeroo
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne
lemon for garnish
oil for frying

Cook lentils in plenty of water until very tender, about 40 minutes. Drain.

In a heavy pan heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and add lentils and remainder of ingredients except oil and egg yolk. Saute until onions are soft. Puree in food processor for a minute or two. Leave the mixture chunky. Chill. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

When you are ready to fry the balls, add the egg yolk to the mixture and using your hand, mix it in well. This acts as a binder so the balls don't fall apart in the oil. If the mixture is still dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.  Using about a teaspoon of the mixture roll into 1 inch balls.

Use an oil with a high smoke point such as canola and heat about 3 inches in a pan. Attach a thermometer and when the oil reaches 350F it is ready.  Don't overcrowd the pan or the temperature of the oil will drop. Turn over so all sides become browned. Drain on paper towels.

Serve on skewers with a dollop of mint yogurt and half a grape tomato. Garnish with parsley, mint leaves and wedge of lemon. Encourage the guests to squeeze the lemon juice over the lentil ball.

Makes about 24 balls. These are very filling so if you are having other appetizers I might suggest only 1 to 1 1/2 per person as a guide for your party.

Mint Yogurt Dip

1 c. Greek style yogrt
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons dried mint

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until needed. Will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Sprouted Lentil Salad Rolls

Lentils are an inexpensive and excellent source of protein, dietary fibre, high quality carbohydates and iron. They are highly recommended when weight gain, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes is a concern.

My back door neighbour is a farmer and has bins of them. "Any time you need lentils, just let me know," he insists "you can have all you want." These are his green lentils harvested less than ten kilometers from my home.

Canadian Lentils is kindly sponsoring a recipe contest until April 7. The recipe categories include appetizers, salads, main courses, desserts and free style for recipes that don't fit into any of these categories. This is my entry for salads. Follow them on Facebook by clicking here. Don't forget to 'like' my entry and help me win! You can also leave a comment here, on my blog.
  
Sprouting lentils makes them more digestible for some. They are used raw and have a crunchy, peppery presence in this dish. Addition of lentils adds a vegetarian and vegan source of protein. Feel free to add avocado or blanched asparagus.

Sprouted Lentil Salad Rolls

1 c. sprouted lentils
1 c. shredded carrots
1 c. shredded iceberg lettuce
basil
mint
8 pieces of small to medium size rice paper
1 pkg. rice noodle sticks

Soak lentils for several hours, up to overnight. Drain and leave in collander or sieve. Cover with plastic wrap. It will only take about a day or two for the lentils to sprout. Rinse twice a day. The lentils are ready to use when the sprouts are about 1/2 inch. If they sprout much more than this the flavour becomes bitter and they are less appealing.

Soften rice noodles in hot water for 3 or 4 minutes. Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water. Lay out the filling ingredients in bowls, the carrots, lettuce, sprouted lentils, basil, mint, rice noodle and rice paper. Fill a bowl large enough to hold the rice paper with warm water. Place a large cutting board on the counter top.

Now you are ready to make the wraps. Hydrate the rice paper until it just becomes limp and lay it out on the cutting board. Sprinkle lentils over the rice paper. About halfway up the rice paper circle place the other fillings. Place a tablespoon of each and a small amount of rice noodles in a line across the middle of the rice paper. Leave an inch clear on both sides. Roll from the side nearest you and tuck the filling in as you roll. Fold over both sides toward the centre. Continue to roll into a sausage shape with sides tucked in. Continue until all ingredients are used. Serve 2 rolls per person with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauces

Mango Mustard Chutney thinned with water makes a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Purchase a bottle of the chutney and thin as required.

Hoisin sauce, chunky peanut butter, sriachi and water to thin is traditional. Heat 1/2 c hoisin with 1 T chunky peanut butter and a squrt of sriachi. Thin with water as required.

Lentil Chili and Biscuits

Never go out without your makeup, that's what I say. You don't get a second chance at a first impression. I know, I know. But sometimes I am lazy. That doesn't mean I am less beautiful or engaging. Well, extrapolate to taking pictures of my food. Sometimes I am just in a hurry. That is what happened with my lentil chili. I was not expecting big things. The avocados are not nicely slice or placed. I just snapped a quick one so I could get on with the day. If this picture was more scintillating you would be all over this recipe. It is so good.

The story behind the chili...

I have a sack of organic green lentils from a farm about an hour down the road. I planned to sprout them and add them to my bread, however, they don't sprout very well. Now I have 20 kg of organic green lentils sitting in my cold room.

I am catering a little luncheon and thought I should use some of these lentils. It's winter and chili is warm. Everyone loves biscuits. So that is what brought me to seek out a recipe for lentil chili. My recipe is a combination of many that I read. This recipe is vegetarian and vegan.

This recipe will make enough for 20 servings. It freezes well. If you don't have a crowd to feed just freeze individual servings for quick lunches. Green lentils worked very well. They become tender but not mushy and hold their shape nicely.

This is my entry for a main dish recipe in the Canadian Lentil contest that runs until April 7.  Follow them on Facebook by clicking on this link. Don't forget to like me on their Facebook page to help me win. You can also leave a comment here, on my blog.

Lentil Chili
2 tbsp. sunflower oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

Saute until translucent. Then add

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. green lentils
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin, ground
1 1/2 tsp. sugar

Stir well. Add

2 c. diced fresh tomatoes
1 - 19 fl. oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste
6 c. water

Simmer until done, about 2 hours. Add more water if necessary. Add salt to taste. When the lentils are tender, add

3 c. cooked black beans

Serve with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions.

Buttermilk Biscuits
1/2 c. butter, small dice
4 c. flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1  1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a bowl. Stir to mix. Add butter and cut in until texture of coarse oatmeal. Whisk eggs with buttermilk and add to flour mixture. Lightly mix to incorporate all ingredients.  Turn out onto counter top and knead 2 or 3 times. Roll to 1 inch thickness and cut biscuits. Reroll the scraps and cut more biscuits.

Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes and rotate pan and bake another 8 - 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Virtual Supper Club January

Happy New Year!  Everyone!  Wishes for an amazing year to everyone and to my blogging friends, have a great, creative and inspirational 2013.

I am so excited to be a member of Val's from More Than Burnt Toast Virtual Supper Club. Click on her link to see the entire menu.   Once a month we all make something healthy and nutritious from Cooking Light. It is a fantastic group of passionate cooks and you will enjoy all the amazing ideas. So, this is your free ticket to a year of amazing food.  Welcome!

The theme this month is Clean Food.  What we mean is that you are cooking from scratch without mixes and packages.  It is just pure food.

I am using my locally sourced Black Welsh lamb in this dish.  The tomatoes are home canned and the lentils are from my neighbour's field. The picture below shows all the ingredients.  Very simple but the complexity of flavour is satisfying.  Serve with basmati rice and raita.

Now, check out all the other wonderful recipes from the group.

Sandi
Whistestop Café  Cooking
Spinach Onion Swiss Frittata

Jerry
Jerrys Thoughts, Musings and Rants
Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs

Val
More Than Burnt Toast
Bulghur with Dried Cranberries

Susan Linquist
The Spice Garden
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Fennel

Roz
La Bella Vita
Citrus Granita

Curried Lamb and Lentil Stew    adapted from Cooking Light October 1997

1 1/2 lb lamb shoulder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup lentils
1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 1/2 cups chopped collards or greens
1/2 cup diced carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
cilantro sprigs

Trim fat from lamb, and cut into cubes and set aside.

Heat  oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery and garlic. Saute 2 minutes. Add lamb and saute 5 minutes or until browned. Add cumin, curry and pepper until coated. Add lentils, broth and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add greens, unless it is spinach. Spinach should be added at the very end and wilted. It is too delicate to take much cooking. Add greens and carrots and simmer 30 minutes or until lamb is tender.

Remove from heat. If using spinach, add now and cover and let it steam for 5 minutes. Add chopped cilantro.

Serve garnished with cilantro sprigs, if desired and basmati rice and raita.