[Sca-cooks] 'A cooked dish of lentils'

[Gwynydd Of Culloden]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jadwiga

> So, in pursuit of Pennsic food we were going to try the Cooked Dish of
> Lentils from the Miscellany. It doesn't say to pre-soak the lentils, which
> confused me. Is this assumed, or do you really start out with dry lentils?

While I haven't read the recipe, I would think that not soaking the lentils
is quite reasonable.  I often cook using brown lentils and I have never
soaked them.  They are usually done in about 30 - 45 minutes (just
guessing - I don't normally time them.  They are done when they are done
*smile*).  This is one of the glories of brown lentils.  One can decide to
do, say, a pasta sauce using them and it is done in less than an hour.  Red
lentils cook even faster but I find they tend towards mushiness and I prefer
the brown ones which keep their shape better.

Gwynydd of Culloden