We had a simple meal the other night that was outstanding: Lentils and Salmon. I'm always saying we should eat more beans, but they're not the kids' favorite, and I always forget that small matter of advance prep with dried beans. We had a homemade minestroni soup this winter that my son declared to be his favorite (except for the beans - even though he actually ate a few) and that was the epitome of hours of soaking followed by hours of tending. When I read the lentil recipe in Barefoot in Paris, I was reminded of how easy they are.
The lentils soaked for 15 minutes in boiled water while we chopped carrots, celery, onion and garlic. After the onions and garlic cooked for a bit, the other veggies, broth and lentils were added, along with some tomato paste, to cook for about 25 minutes.
When everything was done to tenderness, the salmon was pan-cooked for just a few minutes on the stove, then finished up in the oven for another 5 minutes.
It took about 40 minutes to make this dinner, but most probably only about 20 minutes of actual cooking. With so many lentils left over (they seem to quadruple in cooking!) there's plenty to work with tomorrow.
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