Skip to main content

Local Lentils

Well...on a whim, I decided to finally visit the Culver City Farmer's Market after being in Culver City for three+ years. I went with no intentions, but I came across this bag of lovely organic lentils. It happened to have a recipe, so I decided to see what ingredients I could buy there at the local market. Turns out I was able to buy almost everything, minus the watercress, chicken broth and the crushed-red pepper.

It was very easy to make. Took me just about a half-hour...mmm...maybe a little bit more. It didn't take me very long to cut everything...that's for sure. It was fun trying a new recipe using all local and organic ingredients. What's more is that I was able to share this yummy new "comfy" dish with my girlfriends (who were in their p.j.'s of course). I hung a wreath on my door and enjoyed this hearty soup with my girlfriends to kick off this Christmas season!

The kitchen smelled sooo good!















Savory Lentil Soup:
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Fennel bulb, chopped
1 Large onion, chopped
1 Large carrot, chopped
2 Salk celery, chopped
4 medium Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Bay leaf
10 Cups Chicken Broth
1 bag (16 oz.) dried lentils, rinsed
2 Cups coarsely chopped watercress
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in sauce-pan over medium heat. Add fennel, onions, carrots and celery. Cook until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, red pepper and bay leaf. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add broth and lentils. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 25 minutes or until lentils are done. Discard bay leaf. Stir in watercress. Cook 2 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

This dish is perfect for a cold, winter night.

Until next time...go local, people!


Bon Appetit!


~Maya, 34
Los Angeles, CA
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Steak Escoffier (Escoffia)" Melts in your mouth.....

Can you say a little piece of "Heaven" ? This is truly one of those recipes that will stick with you forever, it's so delicious, it literary melts in your mouth, you can't help but let out a "Big Happy Sigh" when you taste your first bite ! This has been a "Top Secret" recipe of mine that I created from a favorite dish of a local Restaurant my family & I used to dine at. The restaurant is long gone, but the memory of this dish lives on...enjoy ! Steak : - Rib Eye Steak - 2 slices of Bacon - Sea Salt for seasoning - Ground Black Pepper for seasoning - 2 toothpicks soaked in water 20 minutes to prevent burning on grill Escoffier (Escoffia) Sauce : - 1 pkg Crumbled Blue Cheese - 1/4 cup/stick of Butter - 6-8 Garlic Cloves Peeled & Minced - 1 teaspoon Orange Extract Season both sides of the steak w/ salt & pepper wrap bacon around the steak and hold in place with toothpicks; cover and place in refrigerator for at least 30 Min's. Preheat...
1 comment
Read more

A Girl's Best Friend...

Trader Joe's! Next best thing to Diamonds--in my book, anyways. I have to say I was rather disappointed in how quick I fell off the wagon with my gun-ho approach to a new me at 40! Oddly enough, I woke up yesterday morning, took my friend's kids to school, and then off to Tom's #4 we went. For one, it is amazing to me how many Tom's there are. Are they all just one big chain? One thing they have in common--the yummiest, fattening foods one can ever find! You can smell the grease as you are exiting the ramp, readying to turn onto their street (which in this case would be Orangethorpe). I have to say though, I was encouraged as an ex emailed me after reading Sunday's blog forwarding me weight-loss tips via an email article entitled, "A Breakfast Favorite that Blasts Fat?" Wow, so it's come to this. Truly, the man is a gem and is as sincere as he is disciplined. He, in fact, has got to be one of the most disciplined people I know (especially when it come...
3 comments
Read more

Tea for Two...

So yesterday proved to be the perfect day for two friends to depart from O.C. into historic Pasadena. Granted it's only 30 minutes away or so, it was sad to think I rarely visit the home to the Bruins' cleats due to my newly fitted O.C. leash. Although we rarely visit, it was the perfect day, indeed. There was my sweet friend, Francesca, our English Tea treats and rain that sang for the couple of hours we caught up over Peach-Apricot and Ginger Peach teas. Interestingly enough, we realized that the last time we had tea together was at a four-star hotel in Paris, France almost five years ago...yikes! Regardless of where we last had tea, we were having tea yesterday, where every table of friends seemed to be enjoying conversations with sounds of a flowing fountain and elegant piano melodies echoing behind. It seems like only recently I've heard quite a few ladies inquire about the afternoon-teas I've attended, as they've never been. (At least it's not someone as...
Post a Comment
Read more