This seems the perfect place to ask about lentil / bean recipes . Please share your favourites

[travellingwilbury]

I always like bean stews etc but I hardly ever use beans / lentils in my cooking .

I think they scare me slightly as I am not used to using them but I do buy them . I have many a lentil and bean in my cupboard just waiting to be made into something delicious but don't know where to start .

Can anyone give me some recipes to try out please ?

Here's a thread with one on that looks good, and easy. (or is that what prompted you to start this thread?)

NO I hadn't seen that one

Thank you

Lentil Lasagne

500g red lentils (dry, not tinned)
1.5l veg stock
4 onions
6 cloves garlic
2 x 440g tins chopped toms
4 tblsp tom puree
2 tspns dried basil & 2 tspns dried oregano-

? Add lentils to hot stock, bring to boil and simmer for 10-15 mins until almost all liquid is absorbed (you need a sloppy not dry mix).
? Gently fry onions and garlic until soft, then add lentil mix
Add tomatoes, tom puree and herbs then cook for approx 15mins until lentils mushy.
? Layer up with cheese sauce and pasta sheets then cook as per instructions on pasta packet!

For cheese sauce: 2 pints milk, 50g plain flour, 50g butter, ½ tspn milk mustard and ?loadsa? cheese (mature cheddar and parmesan) to taste.

This will feed about 6

That looks lovely , that can be my first lentil experience .

I do a sausage and bean stew which is good but thats about it

Lentil Curry

Ingredients

180g/6oz dried red lentils, washed in cold water
2 large onions
4 garlic cloves
5cm/2? ginger root
1 tspn chilli powder
2 tspns ground cumin
2 tspns ground coriander
2 tspns paprika
750ml vegetable stock
440g tin chopped tomatoes
100ml/4 fl oz coconut milk
Sunflower oil for frying

? Whizz onion, garlic chillies (if using fresh) and ginger in food processor
? Heat oil in large, deep pan and gently fry contents of food processor for approx 3 mins.
? Add spices to pan and gently fry for a further minute.
? Add lentils, chopped tomatoes and stock and cook for 15-30mins until lentils are cooked.
? Stir in coconut milk and serve.

Dead easy and my kids LOVE this with Naan bread.

I'm not veggie, but am a recent Lentil convert

That reminds me Huw - I've made this Chicken and red lentil curry a few times before - it's delicious. I like it with spinach stirred in near the end.

This Spanish style lentil recipe is really easy to make and tasty. I usually make up a big batch and freeze it for later use.

Thank you to both of you

I am not veggie either but I am very bored with all my old recipes so thought I would give the bean and lentil thing a go

Also seems to work out much cheaper which is always a god thing .

I do love a curry

Red lentil soup - boil ~1 glass full of red lentils with 1 potato, 1 onion, 1 carrot. Mix when cooked & add water to taste.

Brown lentil dish - cook ground meat with 1 chopped onion, then add 1 chopped tomato and 1 chopped carrot. Pile cooked lentils on top. Bring to boil then lower heat and let simmer until carrots are soft. Serve with rice.

I do a lentil and bacon broth but i always just stick it all in the saucepan so dont know the exact amount sorry! Anyway if it's any good to you -

Red lentils
Bacon
Any carrots - tinned or fresh
All the old veg you want to use up esp brocolli
2 stock cubes
Salt
Onion
Tinned tomatoes

Put all in a pan together for about 20 mins. Liquidise when cook and eat with crusty fresh bread

Yum!

I knew I had come to the right place

Thank you all of you