 |
| S's Mother's Herbed Lentils |
Our heat wave broke after Friday's rain and the days have been cooler in comparison. "Cooler" is all relative, of course. On Sunday, our high was 90F; on Monday, it was 88F. Of course, I am loving it! This is well within my comfort zone!
Sunday marked the 21st anniversary of 9/11. It's hard to believe that so much time has passed; it's one of those days when I can recall exactly where I was (at the office) and what I was doing when I heard the news (on the phone) and what I did afterwards (our office closed and we were told to go home; I drove home and flew the flag, then, went and picked up my daughter from school). I spent a good part of the day watching TV programs relating to that event.
On Monday, I spent some time sewing on the patchwork quilt top I am making, There is progress on that and I will do an update post, soon.
I also spoke on the phone with neighbor T who is still in the assisted living center; she is hoping to be able to come home, soon, because she is concerned about how much it costs to be at the assisted living center.
There has been more food being passed back and forth in the neighborhood, as well! On Sunday, neighbor S called to ask if I'd like some savory pastry her mother had made, with a lentil filling. I love pastry, so, of course, I said, I'd love to try some. When she brought me the lentil filled pastries, I gave her a plate of thin pancakes filled with a sprinkling of sugar and lemon juice that I had just made!
 |
| Puff Pastry Rolls with Lentil Filling |
Sunday evening, I warmed up the lentil pastries and they were delicious. There was a different flavor to them than what I'm used to. I could tell that they had some sort of herb, but, I couldn't identify it. I asked S what herbs her mother had used and she said it was dill. Then, she brought me more of the pastries and a plate of the lentils that her mother had made! And, she called me a little later with her mother's recipe. I asked her if I might post the recipe on my blog and she said it would be fine. S's mother's name is L.
L's Lentil Recipe:
1 cup dry lentils
2 cups water
Cilantro
Dill
Salt, black pepper
Haleb pepper (a type of chili pepper, might be similar to Aleppo pepper, according to an online search)
Cook the lentils in the water with salt, black pepper, and haleb pepper, until the lentils are soft; towards the very end of the cooking, about 5 minutes before it is done, add the chopped cilantro and dill.
S said that it was not necessary to drain any leftover cooking water and I assume it will get absorbed into the lentils as the dish cools. S didn't mention adding any onions, but, I suppose one could add some finely chopped onions during the cooking, too. I have not made this recipe, yet; it will be something to try, though.
I am grateful for:
- Neighbor S and her mother's generosity
- New recipes to try
- Cooler days
- Chats with family and friends
- Television coverage of world events
Joyful activities have included being treated to some delicious food and playing with fabric!
Do you like lentils? Do you think you might try this recipe? Do you have a favorite lentil recipe?
Those lentils look very good. I do like lentils, so I'll keep L's recipe in mind, tho minus the cilantro! I like the idea of puff pastry stuffed with lentils, I may try that. It's good that your heat wave broke a little!
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by how good the lentil puff pastries tasted! Yes, you can leave out the cilantro or use a different herb, I'm sure. Parsley, maybe?
DeleteMy mother used to make lentil soup but I'm not sure what she added to the lentils but it was always very tasty, like comfort food.The puff pastry rolls look very good too. Good that your temperatures have cooled a little. It is still pleasant here but cooler than it has been, I can tell autumn is on the way.
ReplyDeleteLentil soup sounds wonderful; ideal for a cold, rainy day with some crusty bread, I think. :) I like just about anything encased in pastry! Puff pastry is getting expensive to buy, though, and with butter prices going up, is getting expensive to make from scratch, too. I think it will become another occasional treat. I am glad that the temperature has cooled a bit. It is still warm, but, not so hot. Autumn is a good season, isn't it?
DeleteThose lentils sound awesome and they are so healthy. I'm looking at ways to eat more of them.
ReplyDeleteI remember 9/11 clearly as well. I had to go across town and on the way back I tried to buy a paper but they were sold out. The man at the counter didn't know why, and he had an American accent. I didn't know how to tell him so I just told the bald truth and fled. I always felt bad for him.
Lentils are a good alternative to meat when it comes to protein. I was reading a recipe for shepherd's pie with a lentil base and am thinking of giving that a try. My usual way to cook lentils is curry, of course.
Delete9/11 was quite a shock, especially over here. One of my cousins worked in one of the World Trade Center buildings; he survived.
Dill is a new spice for me too to use with lentils. I will have to keep that in mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm considering planting some dill, next year; not sure how successful that will be, but, I can give it a try. :)
DeleteI love lentils and eat them regularly. I'll try this recipe but I always swap cilantro for parsley ... cilantro tastes like soap to me! I'd say a tasty dhal is my favourite way of eating lentils with red lentil flatbreads coming a close second.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are enjoying some slightly cooler temperatures ... still too hot for me, but it sounds like you are enjoying it.
I usually make a curry with lentils, but, I just read a recipe for shepherd's pie using lentils instead of mince/ground meat and am thinking of trying that, someday.
DeleteTemperatures in the 80s tend to be my preferred temperatures. My tolerance for high temperatures works in my favor during the summer, but, it makes winter feel that much colder! :D
Yummy pancakes as a thank you for yummy lentil pastries sounds like a win-win all round! I will make a note of the lentil recipe, it looks good.
ReplyDeleteThe other day I bought something that actually came from Sri Lanka, in our local supermarket. It is a small packet of Grace Pure Creamed Coconut.
Thank you, Bushlady; I was happy to share some of the pancakes with S.
DeleteI have not heard of that brand of coconut milk, before; let me know what you think of it! :)
That sounds good. I will try and remember to make some some time.
ReplyDeleteIt was a change from the usual lentil curries I make. :)
DeleteI love lentils and will definitely try L's recipe. Cilantro and dill together sounds like a nice lift to lentils and I'm curious to taste it.
ReplyDeleteI like dill and was thinking I needed to add it to my herb garden next year.
I was at my job at a bookstore on the morning of 9/11. It was a
part-time job I had for years that I would work before I went to my bookkeeping job where my hours were flexible and left up to me.
That morning I was working with a lady who's husband was an officer in the navy and on base that morning - he called his wife a bit after the first plane went into the building and kept us updated that morning. It was stunning to hear what was going on.
This was before we all had cellphones so it was good to have him updating us.
I went home a little after noon and my husband had come home from work and was watching the television - I remember us just looking at each other with such sadness as I came in the door.
I hope you try this recipe and you like it. I added the last of it to a pot of soup that I made!
Delete9/11 is one of those days when we all remember where we were and what we were doing, I think. I was at work, too, and cousin P, who worked for a company with headquarters in New York, in a building quite close to the Twin Towers, called me to give the news because the head offices in NY closed and therefore, the LA office closed early, too; cousin was carpooling with me at the time and she called to tell me that she will get a ride home with one of her colleagues. Our office closed, too, about one hour later.