Lentil chat. My friend swears by Cooks Illustrated's brining technique--no split lentils. More

[traca]

She forwarded me the newsletter that mentioned it. Unfortunately I don't have the recipe (blocked by non-membership) but the text is worth reading.

LENTIL SALAD WITH OLIVES, MINT, AND FETA

Published September 1, 2011. From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

The most important step in making a lentil salad is perfecting the cooking of the lentils so they maintain their shape and firm-tender bite. There turns out to be two key steps. The first is to brine the lentils in warm salt water. With brining, the lentil’s skin softens, which leads to fewer blowouts. The second step is to cook the lentils in the oven, which heats them gently and uniformly. Once we had perfectly cooked lentils, all we had left to do was to pair the earthy beans with a tart vinaigrette and boldly flavored mix-ins.

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SERVES 4 TO 6

French green lentils, or Lentilles du Puy, are our preferred choice for this recipe, but it works with any type of lentil except red or yellow. Brining helps keep the lentils intact, but if you don't have time, they'll still taste good. The salad can be served warm or at room temperature.

 

[charlie]

We love this salad REC: ATK's Lentil Salad with Olives, Mint, & Feta...

Lentil Salad with Olives, Mint, and Feta

Recipe By: Americas Test Kitchen
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
Salt and pepper
6 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
5 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
1 bay leaf
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 large shallot, minced
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)

Directions:

1. Place lentils and 1 teaspoon salt in bowl. Cover with 4 cups warm water (about 110 degrees) and soak for 1 hour. Drain well. (Drained lentils can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before cooking.)

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Place drained lentils, 2 cups water, broth, garlic, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Cover and bake until lentils are tender but remain intact, 40 to 60 minutes. Mean-while, whisk oil and vinegar together in large bowl.

3. Drain lentils well; remove and discard garlic and bay leaf. Add drained lentils, olives, mint, and shallot to dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with feta, and serve.

Notes:

French green lentils, or Lentilles du Puy, are our preferred choice for this recipe, but it works with any type of lentil except red or yellow. Brining helps keep the lentils intact, but if you don't have time, they'll still taste good. The salad can be served warm or at room temperature.

 

[mistral]

I tried their brining technique with beans and the beans were just too salty. . .

Has anyone else had this problem? I am sure I followed their instructions to the "T", but very salty they were.

 

[curious1]

Hmmm, I used the method in this Tuscan Bean Stew. However, I don't have any so-called table

salt and used Diamond Crystal kosher salt, I probably didn't increase it by much. That might be the difference. The recipe came out quite well.

* Exported for MasterCook 4 by Living Cookbook *

Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew

Recipe By : Cook's Illustrated Mar 2008
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time: 0:00
Categories : Beans Pork
Soup Vegetable
Vegetable


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

table salt
1 lb dried cannellini beans (about 2 cups),
-- rinsed and picked over
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6 oz pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces*
1 large onion, chopped medium (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch
-- pieces (about 1 cup)
8 medium cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 bunch kale or collard greens (about 1 pound),
-- stems trimmed and leaves chopped into
-- 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)
1 14 1/2-oz can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
ground black pepper
8 slices country white bread, each 1 1/4-inches-thick,
-- broiled until golden brown on both sides
-- and rubbed with garlic clove (optional)

1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or
container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours and
up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.

2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees.

3. Heat oil and pancetta in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook,
stirring occasionally, until pancetta is lightly browned and fat has
rendered, 6 to 10 minutes. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16
minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in
broth, water, bay leaves, and soaked beans. Increase heat to high and bring
to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are almost
tender (very center of beans will still be firm), 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Remove pot from oven and stir in greens and tomatoes. Return pot to oven
and continue to cook until beans and greens are fully tender, 30 to 40
minutes longer.

5. Remove pot from oven and submerge rosemary sprig in stew. Cover and let
stand 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and rosemary sprig and season stew with
salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans
against side of pot to thicken stew. Serve over toasted bread, if desired,
and drizzle with olive oil.

Cooking Tip: *If pancetta is unavailable, substitute 4 ounces of bacon
(about 4 slices).

Cooking Tip: For a more substantial dish, serve the stew over toasted bread.

Cooking Tip: Step-by-Step: Keys to Tender, Flavorful Beans

Cooking Tip: 1. Saltwater soak: Soaking the beans in salt water overnight
helps them cook up creamy, with tender skins.

Cooking Tip: 2. Low temperature oven: Cooking the beans at a near-simmer in
a 250-degree oven leads to fewer exploded beans in the finished stew.

Cooking Tip: 3. Wait to add tomatoes: The acid in tomatoes can interfere
with the beans' tender texture. Add them toward the end of cooking, after
the beans have already softened.

Comments: We prefer the creamier texture of beans soaked overnight for this
recipe. If you're short on time, quick-soak them: Place the rinsed beans in
a large heat-resistant bowl. Bring 2 quarts of water and 3 tablespoons of
salt to a boil. Pour the water over the beans and let them sit for 1 hour.
Drain and rinse the beans well before proceeding with step 2.

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated Mar 2008


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