The most most perfectly cooked lentil you'll ever prepare

On several occasions, lentils has been featured on this site,  cooked as a stew, served as a side dish, or chilled as a salad. One of the characteristics of cooked lentils has always been that they tend to break down and don't retain their shape. The darker, green, French lentils work best in retaining shape, but will eventually break out of their casing, depending on how long you cook them. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could cook them and they woudn't break down or get mushy, unless of course, you wanted to make a soup?

Well, the waiting is over and I have found a great way to turn out beautifully cooked lentils that will be present themselves well either hot or cilled. Using those darker green French lentils, bring 3 cups of water, salt, and a teaspoon of olive oil to a vigorous boil. Then add one cup of uncooked, rinsed, lentils to the water and bring back to a boil. Immediately cover and remove from heat. Allow the covered lentils to sit for 30 minutes. Do not uncover or check them at all during that time. After 30 minutes, taste a few of them for doneness. They should still be firm but cooked all the way through. Now, rinse them in cold water. You now have perfectly cooked lentils that are ready for serving as a salad or side dish.

Pictured here, are the lentils prepared as a salad with a drizzle of olive oil and rice vinegar. Sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper for taste. As a final touch, sprinkle with oven roasted almond slivers.You may, if you wish, microwave the lentils for a couple minutes and toss with a couple of tablespoons of melted butter.

If you are a lover of lentils, you are urged to try this method of cooking. You will not be disappointed. Be sure to use the French lentil version of this bean. Make quantities ahead of time and freeze what you don't use. You will always have some ready at a moment's notice when the need arises down the road.