April 13, 2012
Red lentils make a wonderful soup. They cook to a creamy consistency creating a hearty, full-bodied soup. I usually add some grain to this soup, often brown rice but sometimes barley. This recipe has tomatoes but I don’t always use them. The red lentils also lend themselves to a variety of spices, as you see here. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 /2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon... View Article
April 13, 2012
I make this bean spread often as an appetizer to spoon onto small crostini. Here I use it to top grilled bread for a lunch or a light supper. Serve accompanied by a small salad with crisp vinaigrette. For a vegan version leave the pecorino out. Ingredients: Long slices of country bread Olive oil Parmesan or pecorino, shaved or chopped roasted peppers Purple basil Bean spread: 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 small... View Article
April 13, 2012
A hearty lentil soup is comfort food for anyone with a Mediterranean palate. I make it in many different ways but it’s all variations on the same theme of aromatics (onion, garlic, carrot, celery) sautéed in olive oil and then the lentils are added with stock and cooked until softened. I sometimes add a grain such as rice or barley. Sometimes I add roasted peppers or another vegetable and sometimes I even add thin pasta,... View Article
April 13, 2012
Barley and beans is a nice combination for either soups or salads. See the salad category for the salad version of this pair. I often have cooked grains in the fridge and it’s easy to make a quick and delicious soup with them. Barley however cooks quickly so this soup can be prepared on a short notice. You can use vegetable stock but I find that chicken stock gives it a wonderful flavour. Ingredients: 3... View Article
April 13, 2012
If I had to choose a couple of favourite soups this would certainly be one of them. Simple, wholesome and easy to make, this is a delicious soup and has been part of my soup repertoire for many years. I make it with small white cannelini beans that have been soaked overnight. If you are in a hurry and wish to make the soup the same day you can boil the beans, leave them in... View Article
April 12, 2012
Bean spread makes a lovely appetizer spooned on top of crostini, or serve it as a dip with pita wedges or thin slices of grilled bread. Leftovers, if any, are good on a sandwich or a tartine. You can use home cooked beans or open a can of organic low sodium beans. Both would work fine. If you cook beans you may as well cook more than you need and keep the extra in the... View Article
April 12, 2012
This salad features both grains and legumes, ingredients that I often combine. The soft beans combine nicely with the chewy barley and can be served hot or at room temperature as a substantial salad. I flavour this with roasted tomato oil that I make and often keep in the fridge. The tomato oil is so flavourful that you don’t need much more other than combining it with sherry or wine vinegar for a flavourful dressing.... View Article
