Monthly Archives: June 2010
Mujaddara: Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Garlic-Lemon Sauce
| June 13, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Light, Sandwiches, Shawn's Favorites, Sides, Vegetarian or Vegan |
Don’t let the lackluster appearance of mujaddara fool you — this Lebanese dish is loaded with delicious, aromatic spices that will send you on a mental vacation. One bite will remind you how amazing some of the simplest street-foods can be.
Mujaddara was on my list of things that I wanted to make even before the USA Lentil & Dry Pea people contacted me about creating some recipes. In fact, it’s been on my list ever since the first time I tasted it a few weeks ago. You see, the past few months at work have been a little crazy and I’ve had to put in some long days — working through dinner on several occasions. Luckily, Shawn is awesome and will often save me of having to order pizza or chinese (not that I don’t love those things, but I get sick of them) by bringing me some dinner from the co-ops small, rotating selection of prepared foods. The selection consists mostly of sandwiches, most of which are out of the question since they have mayo on them (ew). So he’ll grab whatever the best looking thing that I’d actually eat is. As you’ve probably guessed by now, one night I was presented with a pita filled with lentils and rice, and a small container of lemon-garlic sauce. I looked at it and wanted to cry. How could this starchy bunch of brown carbs possible taste good? But I was hungry, so I hesitantly took a nibble. And I was blown away.
Despite being so starchy, the sandwich was surprisingly light. It was seasoned with cinnamon and coriander — spices that I don’t often experience in savory foods. And the lemon-garlic sauce? It was like a magic potion that brightened the flavor of the whole dish, adding a touch of tartness and a pungent wallop from the garlic.
I devoured that sandwich and knew that I wanted to share the experience with Shawn. So it went on my list. And there it sat for a few weeks, until the Lentil Association gave me the perfect excuse to make it. I’m not sure why I waited so long. And I’m glad I made extra – I’m already looking forward to the leftovers. (ps – I’ve put this recipe in the Shawn’s Favorites category. He really loved it too!)
- 1 Tbs + 2 tsp olive oil, divided
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup small brown lentils
- 1/2 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 generous pinch salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- Pita bread for serving
Heat 1 Tbs oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become very soft and begin to turn brown — about 10 minutes. Add the lentils, rice, and water. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Add the cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir, and cook uncovered for another 20 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed and the rice and lentils are both fully cooked. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Season to taste with pepper.
Meanwhile, make the garlic-lemon sauce. Sprinkle the salt over the garlic and use the side of a large knife to mash the two together to form a thick paste. Add this paste to a small dish, along with the lemon juice. Stir together to combine. Whisk in the remaining olive oil.
To serve, spoon the lentil mixture onto a pita. Fold the bread in half over the lentils, using your fingers to press the filling into a compact form (it will be sticky enough to hold together if you apply a little pressure — this will help prevent it from falling out of the pita as you eat it). Spoon the sauce over the lentils or serve on the side for dipping.
Serves 4.
Approx. 120 calories, 6 grams fat, 3 grams fiber, 3 grams protein. (calculated without pita, as that will vary by brand)
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Through June 15, I will be blogging healthy and unique recipes featuring lentils and dried peas under a sponsorship agreement through the USALentil and Dy Pea Council. I will then be choosing my favorite recipe to be in a contest that will be held at RecipeRivalry.com. Although these posts are sponsored, opinions in them are my own and all recipes are original unless otherwise noted.
Scallops with Minted Pea Sauce Appetizer
| June 11, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Fish and Seafood, Lent, Light |
Scallops with Minted Pea Sauce Appetizer
Mint and ginger dress up dried peas to make an easy and elegant sauce for seared scallops.
- 1/2 cup dry green peas
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 Tbs chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- salt and pepper
- 16 sea scallops (about 1 pound)
- 2 Tbs flour
Add peas and water to a small pot placed over medium heat. Cover and let cook until soft — this should take 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the minced shallot and garlic and cook until soft and translucent. Set aside. When peas have softened, remove the pot from the stove. Add the shallot and garlic, mint, ginger, and about half the chicken stock. Puree using an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender or food processor), adding more stock until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Return to stove and keep warm.
Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel, removing as much moisture as you can — this will help you to get a nice sear on them. Dust them with flour to help absorb any excess water that has remained. Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the scallops. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottom has turned golden brown, trying not to move the scallops around in the pan too much as they cook. Flip the scallops and cook the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes until they are done.
Ladle the sauce onto your serving dish and top with the scallops.
Serves 4.
Approx. 110 calories, 2 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 11 grams protein
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Through June 15, I will be blogging healthy and unique recipes featuring lentils and dried peas under a sponsorship agreement through the USALentil and Dy Pea Council. I will then be choosing my favorite recipe to be in a contest that will be held atRecipeRivalry.com. Although these posts are sponsored, opinions in them are my own and all recipes are original unless otherwise noted.
Pea & Herb Stuffed Indian Flatbread (Naan)
| June 7, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Breads, Indian, Shawn's Favorites, Sides, Summer, Vegetarian or Vegan |
Before you run away in fear from a post about bread, let me reassure you: this recipe couldn’t be simpler.
It doesn’t involve yeast.
You don’t need to knead it.
If you have a grill, you don’t even need to turn on your oven.
On top of all that, it’s mouthwateringly delicious. Beneath a crisp exterior that has been left slightly charred from the grill flames, the bread is soft and pillowy, perfect for wrapping around skewers of grilled meat and vegetables.
At fist glance, it looks like your ordinary flatbread — generic pita or naan. But tucked inside is an amazing paste of creamy peas, fragrant herbs and spices, and a touch of briny feta cheese.
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One bite and you’ll be hooked. I’m already planning to make them again, and my head is reeling from the possible filling variations — everything from ground almond and raisins to a traditional Italian pesto. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Still hesitant? What if I told you that, start to finish, this revelation in bread can be made in 90 minutes?
Ok. Fine. If you really don’t want to believe me that this bread is super easy to make — or if you just can’t wait until you have 90 minutes to spare — you can cheat. Make the filling as directed below and stuff it inside a store-bought pita. Spritz with water and grill or broil for 1 to 2 minutes on each side to warm it through.<
I served these flatbreads with grilled kebabs of beef, onion, zucchini, and mushrooms that I marinated in red wine vinegar, olive oil, cumin, cardamom, and garam masala (1 tsp of each). They were flavorful and delicious!
Tucked inside this quick and easy bread is a fragrant paste of starchy dried peas, fragrant herbs, and a touch of spice. The base recipe was adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, and altered to include whole wheat flour and peas as well as a slight change to the flavor of the herb mixture. If you are baking this bread on a humid day, like I was, you may need to add more flour — keep adding it until you get a dough that is soft and sticky, but manageable.
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole white wheat flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup dry yellow peas
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, mined
- 1 Tbs chopped fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup crumbles feta
- Melted butter for brushing
- Kosher salt for sprinkling
Whisk the yogurt and egg in a medium bowl, then whisk in 1-1/2 cups of lukewarm water and the oil. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix on low speed until a soft, sticky dough starts to clump around the hook, about 5 minutes. Add more flour if needed.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let rest 1 hour.
Meanwhile make the filling: Add the peas and 2 cups of water to a heavy bottomed pot set over medium heat. Simmer for 40 minutes, or until water had been absorbed and peas are soft and pasty. Mash gently with a fork. Combine with the cilantro, mint, garlic, jalapeno, ginger, and salt.
To form the breads: Working on a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into a circle approximately 5 inches in diameter. Spread about 2 tsp. of the filling in the center, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 1 tsp feta over the filling.
Fold in the top, bottom, and sides of the circle so that the filling is covered. Flip over so the seam is on the bottom, and roll into a 6 inch circle. Repeat with remaining breads.
To Cook: Light a gas grill or preheat your broiler. Wipe the grates of the grill with an oiled paper towel. Place the breads directly on the grill grates or on a broiling pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bottom begins to brown and cook. Flip and cook an additional 2 to 4 minutes, or until breads are cooked through. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt.
Yields 10 breads.
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Through June 15, I will be blogging healthy and unique recipes featuring lentils and dried peas under a sponsorship agreement through the USALentil and Dy Pea Council. I will then be choosing my favorite recipe to be in a contest that will be held at RecipeRivalry.com. Although these posts are sponsored, opinions in them are my own and all recipes are original unless otherwise noted.
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Congratulations to Meghan, the winner of my dutch oven giveaway! She said she’d make Beef Bourguignon as her first dish — sounds delicious, I can’t wait to see it!
Southwest Lentil Patties with Creamy Lime Dressing
| June 3, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Lent, Light, Mexican and Southwestern, One Pan, Quick Weeknight Meals, Salads, Summer, Vegetarian or Vegan |
After I posted about BBQ Baked Lentils, a few people noted that they had never used lentils except for in salads and soups. To be honest those — and Indian dishes — are where my mind immediately goes when I think about lentils too. But you probably won’t see much in that respect as I continue explore the world of lentils over the next two weeks. First, because two weeks worth of soup, salad, and Indian food would be boring — both to read and to eat. Second, because I wanted to look at this as an opportunity to challenge myself. To think outside the box and come up with some really fun and creative recipes. Rest assured, if the recipes aren t delicious you won’t see them here.
Since lentils are so often used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, I decided to mix things up and try using them in a southwest style dish. I also wanted to play with texture a little, so these southwest lentil cakes were born! I really loved the way these turned out — they actually reminded me a little of falafel. I was nervous that they might be dense and dry, but I shouldn’t have worried. The slightly crispy outside gave way to a light and fluffy center that was full of moisture. The creamy lime dressing played up the Southwest flavor of these patties ad balanced out some of the heat from the jalapenos that I added to them.
The patties and dressing were great on their own – I also think they would make a fantastic wrap-style sandwich — but to make them into a healthy dinner I built a salad around them. Some chopped romaine hearts tossed with fresh corn, diced tomatoes, creamy avocado, and a little extra cilantro topped with the lentil cakes and dressing made a wonderfully light yet filling dinner.
Lentils take a trip to the Southwest with these patties flavored with jalapeno and cumin. The cool, creamy lime dressing adds a little bit of zing while balancing out the heat. Eaten alone, these are a great snack, but they can also form the foundation of a healthy and satisfying meal.
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into a small dice
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- 1 egg + egg white, beaten
- 2 Tbs cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbs + 1 tsp cumin, divided
- 2 limes, juiced
- 4 Tbs reduced fat sour cream
- salt
To make the patties: Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Sauté the jalapeno, garlic, onion, and carrot until they are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the cooked vegetable mixture to a large bowl and mix in the lentils, egg, cilantro, breadcrumbs, and 1 Tbs cumin. The mixture should be pretty wet and a little sticky.
From tablespoon sized portions of the lentil mixture into rounds, then use your hand to press them into a patty shape that’s about the size of a half-dollar coin around and a half inch high (you should get about 9 patties). Place your frying pan back over medium-high heat and add the patties. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the bottom has browned and formed a thin crust. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
To make the dressing: Whisk together the lime juice, sour cream, 1 tsp cumin, and salt to taste.
Serves 3.
Approx. 175 calories, 7 grams fat, 6 grams fiber, 10 grams protein
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Don’t forget to enter my latest giveaway, featuring a 5.5 quart enamel cast iron dutch oven!
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Through June 15, I will be blogging healthy and unique recipes featuring lentils and dried peas under a sponsorship agreement through the USA Lentil and Dy Pea Council. I will then be choosing my favorite recipe to be in a contest that will be held at RecipeRivalry.com. Although these posts are sponsored, opinions in them are my own and all recipes are original unless otherwise noted.
Smokey BBQ Baked Lentils, Cedar Plank Salmon
| June 1, 2010 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Beef, Lamb, and Pork, Light, Sides, Special Occasions, Summer |
What is it about holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July that necessitate barbecues? Sure Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, but our grill has already been going strong for weeks. Still, I felt the need to prepare some sort of traditional backyard fare. Shawn suggested burgers, but that seemed like a waste of a good day off. We can have burgers whenever. I wanted something a little more creative. Something that actually required some thought. I settled on salmon grilled on a cedar plank and BBQ baked lentils.
Yes, that’s right: lentils. I don’t really care for baked beans. They’re too starchy or too soft something. My mom makes what everyone considers pretty awesome baked beans — they’re requested at every family get-together — but I never ate them. When I was little, there was one kind of baked bean that I would eat. They came from a can. They were BBQ. And they contained a melange of various beans rather than simply relying on navy beans. I still remember the day when we stopped being able to find them in the grocery store. It was heartbreaking. This past Easter, we sat down to dinner and I saw that my mom had made her beans. They looked amazing. Plump, succulent beans swimming in a lightly spiced sauce, all capped off by a perfectly crisp layer of meaty bacon. It was the bacon that did me in. Those beans have been in the back on my mind ever since.
My recipe takes it’s inspiration from my mom’s version, complete with that all-important bacon layer. I used lentils instead of beans and was thrilled with how the texture turned out — they soaked up the sauce and were juicy without being too starchy. I also thought carefully about my sauce. I didn’t want to rely on a store-bought sauce. Too many of them just taste like flavored corn syrup, and almost all of them are too sweet — especially after reducing in the oven. Plus, I wanted something with some heat to it. I ended up using my pomegranate-chipotle barbecue sauce recipe, which was complimented the meatiness of the applewood smoked bacon perfectly. The pomegranate juice added a touch of tartness, the chipotles added smoke and spice. While the final dish was exactly spicy it did have a lingering heat — if you’re very sensitive to hot foods, you may want to use less chipotle.
Since the flavor of the beans was so bold, I wanted to keep the salmon on the simpler side. I grilled it on a cedar plant with some fresh orange slices. The result was a silky-smooth fish with a faint wood flavor and brightness from the citrus. Together, the two recipes came together in a meal that took the lazy summer cookout to a new level: simple and traditional enough for the burger-lovers of your group, but with a refined flavor and enough elegance to impress almost anyone.
- 1 cup dry lentils
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 1 Tbs molasses
- ½ tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 chipotles in adobe, chopped
- 1 Tbs adobo
- 3 slices bacon, preferably applewood smoked
- In a large pot, combine the lentils and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils soften.
- Meanwhile, prepare your sauce: Heat olive oil and garlic in a medium skillet and cook until garlic softens. Add next 7 ingredients (through adobo) and whisk to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and let reduce for 10-15 minutes, or until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Combine the lentils and sauce in a small baking dish. Arrange the bacon in a single layer over the top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until bacon has crisped up and sauce has become very thick.
- 1 cedar planks, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- 2 6-ounce salmon filets
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 Tbs fresh thyme
- ½ orange, cut into thin slices
- cracked black pepper
- Heat your grill to medium and place the plank directly n the grates. After a few minutes the plank will begin to steam, but you should at no time let it flame up. Place your salmon filets on the plank. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme. Place the orange slices on top of each filet and sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, for medium salmon, or to your desired level of doneness. Squeeze the juice from the orange slice over the fish.
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Don’t forget to enter my latest giveaway, featuring a 5.5 quart enamel cast iron dutch oven!
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Through June 15, I will be blogging healthy and unique recipes featuring lentils and dried peas under a sponsorship agreement through theUSA Lentil and Dy Pea Council. Although these posts are sponsored, opinions in them are my own and all recipes are original unless otherwise noted.
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