Tuesday 24 January 2012

In honor of the lentil


Picture from link below
To be honest.... I can't remember my Granny ever serving up lentils.  So my love for them is really something of a mystery!

The humble pulse/bean/gem of fibre whatever you wish to call it has been found in my cupboards in neat rows of perfectly aligned cans.  Shocking I know... cans of all things! 

I could not be bothered after a busy day to soak and boil....I'll just whip out the can opener and I am but a few minutes away from a great meal.

Husband dear can't stand the stuff.  He is a true "hunter" and eats meat, meat, meat and now and then a potato or two.  Thank fully my son has an appetite of a gannet and will eat just about anything I place in front of him.

Lentils are good for the heart, they stabilise you blood sugar and are jam packed with vitamin B.  Still, no way would my dear Mama of served lentils - I think she used them only when making a tart base that needed blind baking!

Baked beans of course, were a staple lazy weekend supper option and Mama would serve them up with her homemade tomato sauce piled on top of hot buttered toast and a generous grating of fresh farm cheese.

Bumps of course would rub his hands together in glee as he sang out " beans, beans, are good for your heart... the more you eat the more you fart" and he was not wrong.

Here is my take on Mama's beans on toast.

What you need: (serves 3)
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 30 mls olive oil
  • 1 t-spoon sugar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 can lentils
  • A small packet of Haloumi cheese
  • 1 table spoon butter
  • Hot buttered toast
  • some chopped parsley
  • A dash of Tabasco sauce if you like
How to make:
  • Heat the olive oil in a wide shallow pan and add the tomatoes, sugar, salt n pepper and allow to simmer for 15 minutes till nice and thick
  • Drain and rinse your lentils and add to the tomato sauce, turn down heat and allow to rest there whilst you grill your haloumi cheese
  • Turn on your grill and lightly oil a baking sheet, slice your haloumi cheese into thin strips and lay out on the baking sheet - grill until golden and bubbling
  • Get your toast ready, stir in the table spoon of butter into your lentil mixture and spoon generously onto the hot toast
  • Lay strips of grilled haloumi over the top and sprinkle with parsley and some Tabasco sauce

YUM...and good for you!!

To read more about the benefits of lentils... click here

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