Lentils, (Lens culinaris), part of the pulse family, are one of the first domesticated crops in human history and have fed populations for thousands of years. Along with chickpeas and beans, lentils are some of the best sources of protein, fibre, minerals, and vitamins. It’s no wonder that once introduced to the Mediterranean diet, it became a staple food and an important alternative to meat.
A historically renowned area for growing lentils is the Umbrian town of Castelluccio di Norcia in Italy. It is said that its unique climate and geographical location produce the best tasting lentils in the world. After being harvested in July, you can find “lenticchia di castelluccio” in pretty packages around town and in select grocery stores. If you’re ever travelling that region of Italy, be sure to try the local lentil dishes and stock up on some dried lentils. Rest assured however, you can find lentils anywhere. In fact, one of the top world producers of lentils is Canada!
You can certainly buy canned lentils that are cooked and ready to go but don’t shy away from dry lentils! They are readily available and cook quickly. They are great on the grocery budget too, since a bag of dry lentils goes a long way and costs only pennies per meal! There are several types of lentils so you can try different ones or mix them together for a great combination of flavors and textures.
Most often at the grocery store you will find the larger green lentil or the split red lentils. The “split” lentils have the coat around the seed removed and the inner lentil has been split in half. For this reason, the split red lentils cook much quicker than the whole ones. Be sure to check the package for cooking times. Other lentils include brown, black beluga and French green.
Dried lentils can be stored in a dry, cool and dark place in your cupboard for up to one year.
This lentil soup is easy to make and is a hearty dish that leaves you wanting nothing else for dinner. According to Nonna Pina, this was a common dish growing up in Italy. As children, she said they were told to eat up their lentils because they needed the iron. There wasn’t much meat in their diet in those days, so lentils and other legumes that grew locally were a staple in every home. There’s no doubt that this was not just an old wives’ tale. We know now that lentils are full of beneficial fiber, iron, and many other nutrients – so do as Nonna says and eat your lentils!
For this recipe, we are using 1 cup of green lentils. A cup may not sound like much but just think of popcorn. Yeah, it’s more than meets the eye so don’t go doubling the recipe unless you’re feeding 10 people.
TIP: There’s no need to soak dried lentils. It is however a good idea to sift through them and give them a rinse before cooking to remove any debris. They will double and sometimes triple in size so use plenty of liquid when cooking lentils. Also, do not salt lentils until after they are cooked or they will become tough. For added flavor you can also try using your preferred vegetable or meat broth instead of water.
Italian Lentil Soup
Ingredients
• 1 cup dry green lentils
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 Roma tomatoes, fresh or frozen, peeled and chopped
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
• 5 cups (1 1/4 litres) chicken stock at boiling point or use a bouillon cube dissolved in boiling water
• salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Rinse the lentils in cold water and remove any debris or stones you may find.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot, add the onion and cook until softened and lightly colored.
3. Add the tomatoes and potatoes.
4. Cover and let cook all together for about 20 minutes or until tomatoes have softened and broken down.
5. At this point, add the drained lentils and stir to mix well.
6. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock or dissolved bouillon cube liquid and stir.
7. Add 2 more cups of the chicken stock to the pot and allow to absorb in (much like when making risotto).
8. Then add the remainder of the stock a little at a time, allowing the lentils to soak it in between each addition. This builds the flavor over the course of cooking.
9. Once all of the water has been added, cover the pot, turn the stove to low and allow to cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until lentils are soft.
10.Near the end when the potatoes are soft enough, crush them with a large fork or spoon and stir. This will thicken the soup up before serving.
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