[Sca-cooks] looking for lentil recipe

Claire Clarke angharad at adam.com.au
Wed Mar 9 02:35:20 PST 2011


------------------------------
not particular to period, or location (norther Europe and 13-1500s is fine,
but 
honestly I adore mujadarah (though have not found a period recipe for it)

I am looking specifically for vegetarian or better yet vegan safe. (last
week I 
did a pea soup that has onions browned in olive oil, and is seasoned with 
pepper, (I added some salt) and herbs.? dont want to repeat but something 
similar would thrill me

In Curiosity
Gwen Cat
*****************************************

This is one from late 16th century Spain that I discovered when digging
around online for 16th century Spanish recipes last year. I picked the
translation off someone's blog - apologies for the lack of credit if it was
yours! It was the first period lentil recipe I have come across so I am
intrigued to see all the others.

Caldo de Lentejas
After the lentils are cleaned & sorted, cast them to cook, & after they cook
a little, fry a little onion, chopped garlic, & cast them to the lentils; &
take grated bread, & cast it so that they thicken with 4 or 6 maravedis of
ground spices, parsley & mint; & when you cast it in the bowls, cast a
little vinegar: it is a good broth, except that is melancholic, as Galen
says in chapter 5. From Libro del Arte de Cozina, by Domingo Hernandez de
Maceras, translated by Antoine de Bayonne (mka Dan Gillespie) 


1 cup green/brown lentils
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp each parsley and mint
2 tbsp vinegar

Pick over the lentils removing any stray bits of skin or extraneous grains
(for some reason you often get bits of wheat or other things in with
lentils). Soak the lentils in hot water for about 20 mins. Drain and place
in a saucepan with enough fresh water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer
until the lentils are soft but not disintegrating, about 20-30 mins. Drain.
Meanwhile finely chop the onion and garlic. Fry in a little olive oil until
soft. Add to the lentils. Chop the herbs finely and add to the lentils. Add
the vinegar and mix well. You could add some salt and pepper if you like, or
other spices, to your taste.  This serves 10 people.

Note that 'caldo' means hot, so it was probably intended to be served hot
(perhaps even as a soup - it suggests thickening with bread but not where
the liquid is to come from - the lentil cooking liquid perhaps), but it does
very nicely served cold as a kind of lentil salad. 

Angharad



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