Lentils offer flavorful bargain

Lentils may be as old as time -- and there's a reason they've lasted. The tiny legumes originated thousands of years ago in the Near or Middle East, boasting many varieties in a palette of colors, with red, brown, and green lentils the most popular. The rainbow-colored lentils are equally good as an appetizer, main course or a hearty soup. They are also high in protein and a fine meat substitute at a bargain price.

The little discs, a cousin of split peas, literally sop up flavors and herbs from around the world. For example, a splash of cider or balsamic vinegar offers a tangy edge to a pot of lentils. A pinch of cumin, cardamom or coriander adds Old World élan. Herbs such as thyme, basil and rosemary impart Mediterranean cachet to the pot. And pilafs made with lentils and rice and flavored with curry are daily fare in India and Africa.

Lentils cook quickly, requiring from 10 to 30 minutes of simmering after being brought to a quick boil, depending upon variety. Most significantly, unlike thick-skinned legumes such as navy, red and pinto beans, as well as black-eyed peas, they require no soaking.

How to prepare

When cooking lentils, the rule calls for 2 cups water for every 1 cup of lentils, but if the water runs low, simply add a little more boiled water to the pot. Some lentil aficionados say adding salt to the cooking pot toughens the lentil skin, while others say the salt is absorbed best in the hot cooking liquid. You be the judge.

Lentils vary in texture, too, which also determines cooking time.

For example, brown and deep-green lentils still have their seed coat and have not been split, and therefore retain their texture even after 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.

On the other hand, the hull of red, yellow and orange lentils is usually removed and these pretty little lentils tend to disintegrate after 12 to 15 minutes of cooking. They are best for stirring into soups and stews as a healthy thickener.

However, the deep-green lentils of France, known as lentilles du puy, boast a lovely bite. They are hard-skinned and require 30 or more minutes of simmering for tenderness. The lentils are grown in Auvergne, a mountainous region in the south of France.

Lentilles du puy are relatively expensive and vie in price and cachet with tiny black-skinned beluga lentils, which resemble caviar in appearance. These are native to the Middle and Far East, thin-skinned and cook in 15 minutes or so. Beluga lentils are also delicious tossed in a salad with cheese and tomatoes, or mounded on wedges of whole-wheat bread slathered with cream cheese or goat cheese.

In other words, lentils are perfect fare this time of year when spring celebrations begin crowding the calendar and calling for quick and elegant fare at everyday prices.

Joyce White is the author of "Brown Sugar" and "Soul Food." She can be reached at jwhitesoul@aol.com.