Tiny lentils deliver big flavour
Baked beans are a thing of beauty: A little sweet, a little tangy, and cooked so low and slow the flavours infuse every morsel. The only issue is they take a long time.
Using an Instant Pot instead of baking speeds things up, but even then it adds up to almost 90 minutes.
Enter lentils. As I discovered when I tried this recipe from Simply Laura Lea (Blue Hills Press, 2020), they get tender so much more quickly than larger beans.
One 35-minute session in the Instant Pot results in something that tastes like it bubbled away for hours. (You can also cook them in a slow cooker or in the oven.)
Even better, they’re versatile enough for you to use throughout the week, on sweet potatoes, tacos, tostadas, burritos, grain bowls and surely something I haven’t thought of yet — but am excited to discover.
The Washington Post
BARBECUE ‘BAKED’ LENTILS
Serves: 8-10
■ 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) dried large green or brown lentils (not the small Puy lentils), rinsed
■ 3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium vegetable stock, plus more as needed
■ 3 garlic cloves, chopped
■ 1 cup (250 mL) chopped yellow onion (1/2 large)
■ 2 tbsp (30 mL) ketchup
■ 2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar
■ 1 tbsp (15 mL) molasses
1 tbsp (15 mL) smoked or sweet paprika
■ 1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) chili powder
■ (or ground ancho chili)
■ 1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) kosher salt, plus more to taste
■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground cumin
■ 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon
■ 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
■ Chopped chives or scallions, for garnish (optional)
1. Combine the lentils, stock, garlic, onion, ketchup, sugar, molasses, paprika, chili powder, salt, cumin, cinnamon and black pepper in the canister of an Instant Pot or other multicooker.
2. Stir to evenly distribute, then cover the Instant Pot (the steam valve should be turned to “pressure” or “sealing ”) and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
3. Allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes, then turn to “venting” to release the remaining pressure.
4. (Alternately, you can cook the lentils in a slow cooker on low heat for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the lentils are falling-apart tender. To make the lentils in a Dutch oven, increase the stock to 4 cups (1 L), bring the mixture to a boil on the stove top, then transfer to a 300 F (150 C) oven and bake on the middle rack for 2 hours, checking occasionally and adding more stock if the mixture looks dry.)
5. Remove the lid, stir, taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Add more stock if you want to thin the lentils out a bit, or turn on the sauté function on high and reduce if the mixture seems watery.
6. Garnish with chives or scallions, if desired. Serve warm. Note: Lentils will keep tightly sealed in the refrigerator for five days or in the freezer for six months.