My friend, Roberta, accompanied her father, Al Slinkard, to Rideau Hall in June, where he received the Governor General’s Nation’s Table award for creativity and innovation.
He was recognized for his pulse research and promotion at the Crop Development Centre of the University of Saskatchewan.
In Slinkard’s acceptance speech, he said he was promoting and selling the idea of growing lentils to farmers and also selling the CDC, Saskatchewan and Canada.
In honour of Slinkard’s career in pulses, I would like to share some of TEAM’s favourite lentil recipes.
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BROWN RICE AND LENTIL PILAF
1 tbsp. oil 15 mL
1/4 c. chopped carrots 60 mL
1/4 c. chopped mushrooms 60 mL
1/4 c. chopped shallots 60 mL
1 1/3 c. long grain brown rice325 mL r5 tbsp. brown or red lentils 75 mL
1 tsp. thyme
5 mL2 1/4 c. chicken stock 1 560 mL
1/2c. water
375 mL1 tsp. salt
5 mL7 his recipe is from the Cuisinart rice cooker instruction and recipe booklet.
Add olive oil to rice cooker. Cover and let heat for one minute. Add carrots, mushrooms and shallots, stir to coat with oil. Cover and cook for three minutes until rice cooker shuts off.
Stir in rice, lentils and thyme. Add stock and water and stir. Cover and turn on rice cooker.
When the rice cooker switches to warm, let stand five to 10 minutes or longer on warm before serving. Fluff with rice paddle and transfer to a warm serving bowl.
To cook in the microwave, place oil in a three to four quart (3 –4 litre) microwavable casserole.
Add oil, carrots, mushrooms and shallots, stir to coat. Microwave on high for one minute. Stir in rice, lentils, thyme, water and stock, then stir. Cover and microwave five minutes on high power, stir and then microwave at medium power for 15 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
Makes six cups (1.5 L) or 12 servings.
LENTIL AND RICE SALAD
This recipe was adapted from the lentil vegetarian salad found inDiscovering the Pulse Potential.
1/4 c. light mayonnaise 60 mL
1/4 c. white wine vinegar 60 mL
1 tbsp. dry mustard 15 mL
1/2 tsp. sugar 2 mL
1/2 tsp salt 2 mL
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper 1 mL
1 c. hot, cooked brown rice250 mL 1 c. cooked red lentils 250 mL
2 c. broccoli florets 500 mL
2 c. sliced, fresh 5mushrooms 00 mL m1 tomato chopped
1/2 c. coarsely grated 1 carrot25 mL ca1/2 c. cheddar cheese, 12cubed 5 mL cu1/2 c. Swiss cheese, 12cubed 5 mL cuOr use cheddar only)
In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well. Pour dressing over hot cooked rice and lentils. Toss to mix. Refrigerate.
Prepare vegetables and cheese. Toss with rice and lentil mixture, cover and chill at least two hours.
Broccoli can be steamed for five minutes until tender crisp if desired.
LENTIL BROWNIES
1/2 c. butter 125 mL
1/2 c. lentil puree 125 mL
3/4 c. cocoa 175 mL
3/4 tsp. salt 4 mL
2 c. sugar 500 mL
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL
1 c. flour 250 mL
1 c. chocolate chips 250 mL
1 c walnuts (optional) 250 mL
Melt butter, then mix in lentil puree, cocoa, sugar and salt. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla, flour, chocolate chips and walnuts.
Bake in a greased 9 x 13 (22 x 33 cm) pan at 350 F (180 C) for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
To make lentil puree: Wash lentils. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Drain. Save some water. Puree in a food processor or blender until the consistency of canned pumpkin, adding reserved water as needed.
Recipe courtesy of the Northern Pulse Growers Association.
SAK’S LENTIL SOUP
This recipe was developed by pulse crop grower Don Sakundiak. The original recipe appeared in The Amazing Legume by Alice Jenner, published by the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers in 1984.
4 bacon strips, chopped
1/2 lb. ground beef 250 g 6c.
soupstockorwater 1.5L
1 c. lentils 250 mL
19 oz. tomato juice 540 mL
1/2 c. carrots, thinly 125 sliced mL slic2 c. onions, chopped 125 mL
1/2 c. celery, sliced 125 mL
1/2 c. cabbage 125 mL 1 po
tato, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced 1 mL or 1
/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. soy sauce 15 mL
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/ 2 mL
tsp. black pepper sal 1 mL
to taste
2 mwn chopped bacon in a large pan and set aside. Brown ground beef in the same saucepan and set aside. Sauté onion and garlic. Return browned bacon and beef to the pan and mix with the sautéed onion and garlic. Add soup stock or water and lentils. Simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.
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Simmer for an additional 30 minutes or more. Adjust seasonings, serve and enjoy. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.
The scoop on lentilsGreen lentils come in two varieties, while red lentils come in several varieties.
•Green lentils have a stronger, earthy flavour than the red lentils.
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•Green lentils, when cooked, remain firm and will not disintegrate with longer cooking times, while red lentils disintegrate with prolonged cooking. mm more pulse recipes, visit www.saskpulse.com.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
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