Lentils = bliss. Chef added cumin to the pot, thanks for that Chef!
Now, to the leeks. If I haven't already mentioned this, I am a huge supporter of the leek. I like leeks. It is my favorite onion. And in case you are unfamiliar with the leek, it looks like a giant green onion, as in scallion green onion. The edible part is white and the green stalk is thick and even almost blue. When you buy it, look for it tied to together as a pair with all its green-blue-ery still attached - just a little tip for not getting hustled. Now (April) is the time for leeks, too, by the way. You should be able to find it at the early farmer's markets. We got ours with our weekly CSA basket. Once you get it home, don't clean it until you are ready to cook it up. There might be some grit in between the stalks > just a head's. And as for cooking it up, the first thing you probably think of when you hear 'leek' is potato and leek soup. Sure, go for it. It's great in soup, especially potato soup. You can also roast these onion cousins (see Conquering meat and other tales posted in March), or even eat it raw. The onion flavor is very mild and does not linger on the breath. It is the easiest onion on the breath in that respect! As for the preparation for this particular meal, Chef BRAISED the leeks. Oh yeah, if you want to chomp on a stalk of leek, braise it my friend, braise it. Braise it with white wine and some broth. Braising has been a game changer. A game changer. In fact, I think it has contributed to my leek obsession. I checked the LocalHarvest website in order to provide additional ideas on preparing leeks - they suggest to pair it with potato at all costs, gratins are good. Chef, here's one: potato, leek, chervil, and crouton. Interested?? And the website also says there is a famous Scottish recipe called cock-a-leekie soup. There you go, I guess you can put it in your chicken soup, too, if you're into souping on chickens..
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