INGREDIENT NOTES
TASTING Dried Lentils
In our recipes, we most often call for brown or green lentils, which are inexpensive and easy to find and tend to hold their shape when cooked. But which ones are best? We purchased five kinds of lentils labeled as brown or green or simply as “lentils” and sampled them in three blind tastings: plain, in a hearty vegetable soup, and tossed with vinaigrette in a simple salad.
When tasted plain, the lentils were mild, but when we salted and combined them with other ingredients in soup and salad, their earthy and nutty flavors really came through. One product, which was sprouted, or germinated, stood out slightly for its mild mushroomy quality.
The lentils’ textures varied more dramatically. When cooked according to the instructions on their packaging, several products became disappointingly soft and mushy.
