MITCH IN THE KITCHEN

lentil and bulgur salad

Here’s a lentil salad I threw together for a weekend trip/beach picnic in Montauk. I scraped up some French green lentils from the back of the pantry and combined them with leftover cooked bulgur, chopped artichoke hearts, crisp radishes, minced red onion, lemon juice, olive oil, and lots of fresh scallions, mint, and parsley. (Tip: add a tiny splash of plain white vinegar to the cooking water to keep the lentils from getting too mushy.)

Pairs well with: half a baguette, a hunk of soft cheese, mixed olives, a sneaky carton of white wine, sunshine, the sound of the ocean, and a 1-year-old marriage. Anniversaries, Mitch & John style.

lentils and butternut squash with chevre

I am having not one, not two, but three meals in honor of Thanksgiving this year. None of which will be on the official day itself. In fact, the first in this series of pants-splitting meals already happened at Pavla and Diana’s apartment. There was roast chicken, a pair of Tofurkey breasts, and tasty homemade side dishes. Every potluck I go to keeps getting better and better. And it wouldn’t be a proper party without a buffet of wine, beer, Christine’s apple-infused vodka, and alcoholic hot cider. Because the holiday season doesn’t start until everyone’s drunk and there’s an impromptu Pavement singalong.

I pitched in with a cake (whose post will come later) and a bowl of lentils with roasted squash I’d been meaning to make since seeing this and this. I used butternut squash and French green lentils, but you could easily swap them for sugar pumpkins or delicata squash (or sweet potatoes, as someone suggested) and black lentils. Happy Early Thanksgiving!

Very rough recipe:

about 1 cup dried French green lentils
2 small butternut squash (mine were about 7 inches long), peeled and cubed
olive oil
about 1 teaspoon ground cumin
about 1 teaspoon paprika (I used sweet paprika, but I wish I had mixed in some hot paprika)
salt and black pepper

for dressing:
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and sherry vinegar
a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

handful of chopped mint
handful of chopped parsley
crumbly goat cheese

Bring lentils to a boil in a pot of water. Lower heat and cook until they are done (the only way to know is to eat a few). It should take about 30-40 minutes. Add salt toward the last half of cooking time. Drain and rinse with cold water.

While lentils are cooking, toss squash with a bit of olive oil, spices, salt, and pepper. Spread out on a large baking sheet and roast in a 425-degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until they are golden and soft.

Combine dressing ingredients. Toss with lentils, squash, and herbs. Taste and adjust seasonings. Top with goat cheese.

lentil and kale stew/soup

This is one of those simple, healthy, satisfying meals I make when I remember that there are lentils in the pantry. You can add pretty much whatever vegetables you want, and substitute other leafy greens for the kale. I made a meatless version, but this stuff is also very, very tasty with bacon, ham, Spanish chorizo, kielbasa, or other things made from cured smoked pork. Worcestershire sauce and Maggi seasoning sauce add that much-touted flavor element known as umami. (Whether I’m browsing Serious Eats or studying the physiology of gustation, I cannot escape umami.) Tomatoes and vinegar get added toward the end of cooking because acid slows down the cooking process for legumes.

olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1-2 celery ribs, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small potato, diced
1/2 small bunch kale, chopped
1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
about 4 cups (more to make it soupier) broth (vegetable, chicken, ham… whatever you feel like)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
15-ounce can of whole or diced tomatoes with juice
salt, pepper, red chili flakes
a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce (optional; feel free to leave it out if you’re a strict vegetarian)
a few dashes of Maggi seasoning sauce
about 1/2 teaspoon vinegar (any kind)

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add garlic, potatoes, kale, lentils, and broth. Cover partially and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and cook about 25 minutes, or until lentils are soft but still have some bite to them. Add tomato paste and tomatoes. Bring back to a simmer and add Worcestershire sauce, Maggi, and vinegar.