/ The Lentil Hunter

by Geeta Wahab

The Lentil Hunter

Oct 07, 2014

Canadian chef Michael Smith jet sets around the world hunting for lentil recipes.

Renowned chef, host of Chef Michael’s Kitchen, Chef at Home and Chef Abroad, judge on Chopped Canada and cookbook author extraordinaire, Michael Smith is a Canadian kitchen staple. Smith is also the food ambassador of Prince Edward Island, he teaches and he led the group of chefs that fed the Olympians at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics at the Whistler Athletes’ Village. Smith recently partnered up with Canadian Lentils to create an innovative web series, Lentil Hunter (www.lentils.ca). The series tours the world learning lentil-based recipes.

I chatted with Smith about the series and his experience as the lentil hunter and we’ve got a couple of recipes for you to try.

Geeta Wahab: What inspired you to become a chef?

Michael Smith: I first became a working cook simply to make payments on my new car in university but quickly discovered that the artistic side of cooking and the esprit de corps of a kitchen brigade was irresistible. I was hooked!

GW: What was the drive behind delving into Canadian Lentils? And why do you think they are so important to international cuisines?

MS: Canadians aren’t aware of our status as the world’s lentil growers. These humble legumes are revered all over the world for their high quality yet barely register here at home. We’re on a mission to change that.

GW: What were some of your fondest memories about the Lentil Hunter experience?

MS: Nothing will ever top being inducted into a thousand-year-old lentil-growing guild in France or throwing lentils off the top of the world’s tallest building in Dubai, but I particularly treasure my time with the home cooks of India discovering that my homemade dal is the real deal.

GW: Tell us about Francois.

MS: Francois is our mascot; he’s a chef figurine that sits on my shelf at home. I told my son that I was going around the world with him and that he’d make an appearance in every country. Try to spot him.

GW: Of the five locales and recipes you highlighted, which one is your favourite?

MS: I loved the history and tradition of lentils in France and Italy and the flavours of Morocco. I really loved the simplicity of lentil dal in India and discovering that I was already doing an awesome job making it at home but I love the red lentil fritters we found in Dubai. My 12-year-old son Gabe has informed me that they are officially now his favourite recipe of everything I cook.

Crispy Lentil Fritters

Burj Khalifa, Dubai

You can see a lot from the top of the world’s tallest building, especially the incredible building boom that’s defined Dubai in recent years. Look closely from the Burj Khalifa observation deck and you’ll find a ski hill in the desert, a pair of man-made islands resembling palm trees, award-winning architecture and maybe you’ll even spot lots of tiny little Ferrari’s and Lamborghinis racing around. What you might not notice though, are the lentils on menus all over town. In fact 163 stories straight down at the base of the tower they play a starring role on the menu at Armani Amal, the best restaurant in Dubai. Chef Vijay Anand loves lentils and I love his deceptively simple recipe for delightfully crispy fritters.

Here’s what you need for the fritters . . .

1 cup of Canadian split red lentils
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 freshly minced onion
1 tablespoon peeled ginger root, finely chopped (about 1 inch)
1 handful of freshly chopped cilantro
vegetable oil for frying

Here’s how to make the fritters . . .
Stir the raw red lentils, water and salt together. Cover the works and soak them for an hour or two. They’ll rehydrate and soften considerably as they absorb almost all of the moisture.

Transfer the lentils, water and onion to your food processor and purée them until they’re smooth. Add the ginger and cilantro and process just long enough to stir the works together. You can make this batter in advance and refrigerate until needed. The batter may seem wet but it will hold together as you fry it.

Pour 3 inches or so of oil into a large soup pot or shallow skillet and bring to a constant steady 365° F using a frying or candy thermometer to accurately judge the temperature. Alternatively fire up your counter top deep fat fryer.

Using two spoons — the first to scoop, the second to release the batter — gently drop dollops of the batter into the hot oil. Stir gently until the fritters cook through and lightly brown. Strain them and rest them briefly on folded paper towel to absorb any extra oil.

Lentil Tips
Lentils are dried seeds. Red lentils are further hulled and split, a process that removes their tough outer seed skin. This allows red lentils soaking in water to more easily absorb moisture. Given time — an hour or two, even overnight — they’ll rehydrate and tenderize.

French Lentil Soufflé with Star Anise

City of Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvergne Region, France

Many of the world’s finest restaurants are French and so is the world’s premier ranking and rating system for cuisine, the stars of Le Guide Michelin. Le Puy-en-Velay is further blessed with surrounding fields of world famous lentils and the eponymous restaurant of Chef François Gagnier. Like any great chef, Francois is intensely committed to the products of his region. So committed that he served me a sevencourse lentil tasting menu in his Michelin-starred restaurant. The whole meal was inspiring but the last course blew me away. Imagine a classic light soufflé, anchored with earthy lentils, enhanced with aromatic vanilla and bound together with mysteriously harmonious star anise.

Makes 6 light soufflés.

Here’s what you need for the soufflé . . .

1 cup French green lentils
3 cups water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon star anise powder (nutmeg or cinnamon also work well)
6 large eggs
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup more granulated sugar

Here’s what you need for the molds . . .

Six 6-ounce ramekins
2 ounces soft butter
1/4 cup more granulated sugar

Here’s what to do . . .

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Prepare the inside and rim of the ramekins by brushing with a generous coat of soft butter then thoroughly sprinkling with white sugar, about a teaspoon or so each. Tilt the mold around to evenly distribute the sugar then invert and tap out the excess.

Measure the lentils, sugar, water and salt into a small sauce pot. Over highest heat, while stirring gently, bring the works to a full furious boil. Adjust the heat lowering the pace to a slow steady simmer. Cover and continue cooking until the lentils are tender and delicious, about 40 minutes. Stir in the star anise preserving its aromatic flavour by adding it last.

While the lentils simmer separate the eggs carefully. It’s essential that not even one small drop of yolk stray into the whites so it’s best to work with one egg at a time. Use one bowl for the yolks, another bowl for the one-at-a-time white from each egg and one bowl for all the previous whites.

Transfer almost all of the hot lentils to the bowl of your food processor reserving a heaping spoonful for garnish. Add the butter, lemon juice and vanilla. Purée the works until the lentils are smooth and cool noticeably. Check the temperature with your finger, it should be warm but not hot. If it’s still steaming hot it will cook the egg yolks prematurely. If you can hold your finger in for a few seconds or longer than you’re good to go.

Add the egg yolks and flour and purée smooth again. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the reserved whole lentils for garnish. Rest at room temperature while you ready the remainder of the dessert.

Make sure the bowl of your stand mixer is spotless. It’s essential that no oil or fat lingers from previous use, just a drop will impede the whites’ rise. A few drops of lemon juice or any vinegar and a vigorous wipe with a paper towel will help. Add the whites and whip at full speed until they’re foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue whipping until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and continue until the peaks are stiff but not dry.

Using a large rubber spatula stir about 1/3 of the whites into the lentil purée. Gently fold the remainder of the whites into the works. Pour the batter into each ramekin and smooth and level the top with the back of the spatula blade.

Bake until the soufflés are risen and set, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve and share immediately with excellent vanilla ice cream.

BY GEETA WAHAB
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MICHEAL SMITH
PUBLISHED IN THE FASHION & STYLE ISSUE, FALL 2014

Geeta Wahab

Author

Cultivating a life she loves, Geeta (@geets.suites) is chasing all her passions, including her love for home décor. As a brand new home owner, her current journey has launched her further into that world - check out her Instagram @geets.suites for tidbits of her story and other decorating pieces. A...