Lentils

LJ has a serious liking of lentils.  If you tell her a dish has lentils in it, she is predisposed to liking it.  One of her favorite ways to eat them is as a very simple side dish.  Every time I've made these she raves about how "rich" they seem, which seems crazy to say about a legume, but she is right.  They couldn't be simpler to make either.

For every cup of dry lentils, use 2.5 cups of water (we have found about 1/4 cup of lentils is the right amount as a side per person).  Simmer gently with a bay leaf, salt, pepper and any other spices you would like (I usually use some garlic powder and cayenne).  You can also add a chopped onion and garlic if you want but it isn't necessary.  The cooking time can very depending on what type of lentil you are using (LJ prefers the green lentils) but in about half an hour they will be ready to go.  We think they are best if they haven't gone to mush and still hold some of their texture (you could say al dente but I think that is only used for pasta).  I finish them with a splash of malt or red wine vinegar right before they are served.

That is really all there is to it.  We usually enjoy them with a bratwurst but they go well with all sorts of dishes.

Every time I think of lentils I think of my friend Sam who worked in a grain elevator while going to school in Pullman.  Pullman is in the Palouse, which is the region that grows the most lentils in the world.  Sam used a snow shovel to spread lentils in the grain elevator while they were poured in above him.  He said it wasn't uncommon for lentils to pour down through the collar of his shirt and travel all the way down along his body until they came out the cuff of his pants.  It can get quite hot on the Palouse in the summer so I'm sure the lentils picked up a bit of Sam's perspiration during the trip, which is a good reminder of why you should wash lentils before using them.