Kathy's Lentil and Barley Casserole

I'm not really sure if this qualifies as a casserole, but I like the sound of it.

Again, this is an original recipe. Mostly I took what i found in the fridge, plus lentils. I like how it came out.

Ingredients:

1 Cup lentils
4 Tablespoons Barley
1 Cup of rice cooked to taste (the cup refers to pre-cooked measurement)
1 Clove of garlic, minced
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell pepper, diced
4 Strips of turkey bacon, sliced
4 Turkey sausages, sliced
1 Cup soybean sprouts
1/4 Green cabbage, chopped
1/3 Teaspoon ground cummin
1 Teaspoon oregano, crushed
A pinch of fine herbs, crushed
1 Teaspoon vegetable oil (any kind)
1.5 Liters of water

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a pot and add the bacon. Cook for two or three minutes, then add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the rest of the vegetables and the sausages, and cook until the cabbage begins to soften.

Add the water and reduce the heat to minimum. Add the lentils and barley and stir well. When the water begins to warm, add the spices and stir well. Let the water come to a boil, stirring occasionally. Keep boiling until most of the liquid is consumed or the lentils are tender. At this point add the cooked rice and stir well to mix everything together. let the whole thing sit on the flame for a bit longer, then let it cool and serve. You want as little iquid as possible, but if some remains that's not a problem.

Chicken and Lentil stew

I did take a break from the sweet and sour, and the tomato-based dishes. Instead I retook my budding love affair with lentils, which are both tasty and versatile, if not particularly colorful... In other words, this weeks' dish isn't much to look at, but it's tasty.

You may notice some similarities to my Dry Lentil Soup. I've been thinking about using lentils in a stew since then.

Ingredients:

1 Chicken breast without skin and bone, cut in bite-size pieces
1 Cup green lentils
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Large green bell pepper
2/3 Red onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Carrots, diced
2 Medium-sized potatoes, diced
1 Cup soybean sprouts
2 Cubes chicken bullion, low-fat, low-sodium
1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/3 teaspoon fine herbs
1/3 teaspoon dried pesto
1.75 liters of water
3 1/2 Tablespoons corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water

First let the lentils soak for a few hours. Next cook the chicken on a skillet with a little oil or cooking spray and set it aside.

In a pot heat the olive oil, saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper until the onions turn translucent, then add the potatoes and carrots, and sprinkle the black pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add the water and reduce heat to medium. When the water warms up, add the lentils, spices and chicken bullion cubes. Stir well and reduce heat to minimum. When you see any bubbles, add the chicken. Stir again.

Let it cook for about an hour and fifteen minutes (your times may vary), or until both the potatoes and lentils are tender. Add the corn starch dissolve din water for a thicker consistency, stir well. You will then see larger bubbles forming. Remove from the flame, let it cool and serve.

I'm not entirely satisfied with the end result, but right now i can't think of any improvements.

See you next week!

"Dry" Lentil and Barley Soup

In Mexico it's customary to serve a "dry" soup, either instead of soup or in addition to it. This recipe works for both the "dry" and regular kinds of soups.

Dry Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 Cup of green lentils
3 Tablespoons barley
3 Strips turkey bacon
1 teaspoon olive oil (or any other vegetable oil you like)
1/4 Onion, chopped
1 Clove of garlic, minced
1/3 Teaspoon powdered cumin
1/4 Teaspoon fine herbs
Ground black pepper to taste

For "dry" soup use 1.5 liters of water (that's six cups) and 3 Chicken bullion cubes, low-fat, low-sodium
For regular soup use 2.5 liters of water (that's ten cups) and 4 Chicken bullion cubes, low-fat, low-sodium

Preparation:

Soak the lentils in plain water for a couple of hours. Drain and set them aside

Put a soup pot on high heat on the stove. When it heats a little, add the strips of turkey bacon and fry them only until they begin to release some fat. Add the olive oil, carefully, and saute the onion and garlic along with the bacon.

When the onions begin to turn translucent, reduce the flame to low heat and add the water carefully. The hot pot will tend to boil the first of the water fast, so be very careful. Add the lentils and barley and bring the pot, uncovered, to a slow boil. When the water begins to boil, add the bullion cubes, cumin, fine herbs and black pepper. Stir well until the bullion cubes dissolve completely.

Simmer covered for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the lentils are tender.

Let it cool a bit end serve.