Luscious Lentil Stew

This stew elevates the humble lentil from being brown and banal to scrumptious and sublime.  I first made it as part of a group project for a foodservice management class that required us to blog about our experience of upscaling, producing, and serving a recipe that could feed 50.  I then used the upscaled version at Camp Natoma, where I worked as the summer head cook in 2014.  Menu crafting is one of my strengths, and the camp director was all too happy to give me creative freedom in the kitchen.  Many campers said lentils with quesadillas was one of their favs.

The secret behind this lentil stew is its simplicity and reliance on umami. Umami (Japanese for savory taste) is the fifth sense that elevates food from tasting good to tasting great.  In the article, "The Fifth Flavor," chef Gary Jenanyan of Nappa Valley describes foods high in umami as having resonance, dimension, and being figuratively vivid in color.  Excellent sources of umami include aged parmesan cheese, fish sauce, tomatoes, soy sauce, seafood, seaweed, and shiitake mushrooms.  Scientists measure levels of free glutamic acid in food to determine umami status.  Onions have a mid-range amount of free glutamic acid. 

Cooking the onions properly (i.e. low and slow) is key if you want to achieve luscious status lentils.  I've had the best experience with a 12" cast iron pan because of the good heat conduction and ample space.  Prolonged cooking enhances umaminess because amino acids such as glutamic acid have more time to be released. 

Fermentation also frees amino acids, which is why soy sauce and parmesan are excellent umami sources.

Nutrition Highlight: Lentils

Who doesn't like something that's super easy to cook and packed with health benefits? Lentils are exactly that.  No need to soak like beans and they cook in 25-30 minutes if they're not the basis of a soup. 

Help Your Heart

By consuming lentils on a regular basis, you'll be less at risk of suffering from heart disease.  Lentils are packed with FOLATE which prevents the amino acid, homocysteine, from building up in your blood.  Elevated homocysteine levels are associated with coronary artery disease, possibly because they promote platelet adhesion.  Excessive platelet adhesion is bad because your platelets clump up in blood vessels, obstructing proper blood flow.

1 c of cooked lentils has 358 mcg of folate or 90% of the RDA!  

The nice thing about nutrient dense foods is that you don't have to eat crazy amounts to reap the benefits.  Yes, lentils make great soup, but get creative and use like a topping or mix-in.  Try tossing some in with your next green salad or mix into some rice.  Your heart will thank you. 

Protein Power

If you eat little to no meat, show lentils some love: 1 c of cooked lentils has 18g of protein.  Curious how to calculate your approximate protein needs? 

2.2 lbs = 1 kg
goal is 0.8 g protein/ kg body weight

Take your weight in pounds, divide by 2.2, then multiply by 0.8 grams. For example, if you're 120 pounds, you'll need about 44g of protein. Eating lentils with whole grains will make the protein complete.  

Fight the Fatigue

Iron is another important nutrient that's harder to get if you eat minimal meat: 1 c of cooked lentils has 36% of your iron RDA.  Iron is important for transporting oxygen in your blood.  You might feel fatigued or dizzy if you are iron deficient.  Eat lentils with some vitamin C rich bell peppers, leafy greens, or a side of orange segments to increase iron absorption.

For my Nutrition Education class, my team and I gave a nutrition presentation to the SLO High girl's cross country team.  Several of the girls were vegetarian and suffering from anemia, so we explained the importance of combining non-heme, plant based iron sources with vitamin C, and how that would help improve their athletic performance.

Luscious Lentil Stew
Printable Recipe

This is a delicious way to enjoy lentils and an easy recipe to commit to memory.  Even though it just uses water, the combination of onions and slow cooking gives the lentils a wonderfully rich savoriness that is quite addictive.  Enjoy with some toast, bell pepper strips, and orange wedges for a delicious meal that promotes optimal iron absorption. 

2 T olive oil
1 tsp cumin
4 cloves garlic (around .4 oz as purchased)
1 medium yellow onion (around 8 oz as purchased)
1 c brown lentils
3 c water
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne (optional; adds a slight kick)
parsley or cilantro for garnish

Chop the onion medium fine. Heat oil in a 12" cast iron skillet.  Since you're trying to maximize flavor, don't use a smaller skillet because the onion will just sweat and not brown.

Cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes while you smash and mince the garlic, then add the garlic and cumin, stir, and reduce heat to low, cooking for 7ish more minutes.  Your goal is to get the onions a dark golden brown.  Slow and low is key.

In a medium sized pot, combine water and lentils, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add the onion mixture.  Keep the lid on and simmer on low for 1 hour.  Again, low and slow is key.  Cooking high and fast will make the lentils break up and the texture just won't be luscious. They might seem done at 40 minutes, but they thicken up and get perfectly soft with another 20 minutes of cooking.  

Stir in salt and cayenne. Garnish with cilantro or parsley for a pop of color.  Makes 4 c, 3-4 servings depending on hunger.