One of my favourite things to do with food is combine different ingredients into traditional dishes. To my delight the concoctions I create are usually a success. A few days back I was thinking of what to do with my left over lentils. Remembering a conversation I had with my husband about a popular Latino eatery - Mucho Burrito, I decided to use the left over lentils as a filling for my burritos. Along with my lentejas I added finely chopped coleslaw (thanks to my wonderful Dad who is crazy amazing at chopping coleslaw), homemade salsa fresca and shredded marble cheddar cheese. To compliment my lentejas burritos I made a refreshing coleslaw. Of course we washed everything down with our favourite Peruvian soft drink, Inca Cola.
Lentejas
1 cup of lentils
1 onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tbsp paprika
1 cup tomato pulp
4 cups of chicken stock
salt
pepper
olive oil
1. Place the lentils in a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Add the onion, garlic, cumin and paprika. Stir together and let the onions sweat a little 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the tomato pulp and chicken stock. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
4. Lastly, season with salt, pepper and olive oil
This is a perfect recipe for lentils that you want to eat over rice, as my husband likes to do. If you are going to use these lentils as your filling to your burritos like I did, you want to cool them down so that they thicken slightly. This will help with the stuffing of the burrito.
Burritos de Lentejas
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup coleslaw
1/2 cup salsa fresca
2 cups shredded marble cheese
4 large tortillas
1. To assemble first spoon on a good helping of salsa fresca on the bottom of each tortilla. Followed by the coleslaw, then 1/2 cup of lentils in each tortilla and topped with the cheese.
2. Fold and place on a lined baking sheet. Dress with leftover salsa fresca and cheese.
3. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350F preheated oven.
Salsa Fresca
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 cup tomato pulp
juice of 1 lime
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 tbsp minced garlic
salt
pepper
1 tbsp oregano
Through all the ingredients into a blender and blend together until smooth.
Eleni's Coleslaw
4 cups chopped cabbage
1 carrot, grated
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper
1 tsp dried mustard
1/2 bunch cilantro
olive oil
Place all the ingredients into a large salad bowl and toss.
Every now and then I am blessed with receiving an incredible delicious and unique ingredient or food item. When I first met my husband he introduced me to Aji Amarillo. Several months ago my Mom shared Skotidakis Jalapeno Yogurt Dip. Just a few days ago, while cooking with my new friend Mary Luz Mejia she gave me a box of Oaxaca Chocolate. Aside from loving anything chocolate I accepted willingly this delicious gift because it came from a special place Oaxaca, Mexico and the story Mary told me brought me back to my Mom's home town of Veroia. Upon presenting this gift to me, Mary told me the story that in this town there is a shop that grinds your own concoction of chocolate. Not one box of chocolate is ever the same for each family that uses these services. You might want dark chocolate combined with toasted almonds and cinnamon, while your cousin might prefer milk chocolate with vanilla and cinnamon. As Mary was telling me this story I remembered a coffee shop in Veroia that did the same thing with the Greek coffee. It's amazing that Oaxaca, Mexico and Veroia, Greece are oceans apart but they have this one amazing service to their customers in common. Muchas Gracias Mary! We have been enjoying each cup as if we were in Oaxaca ourselves.
