Additional information
Packsize | 10 LB |
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Black Lentils are a very popular legume in South Asia, they are used to make a beautiful black lentil soup. Black Beluga Lentils are 1/2 cm. wide with a mild, earthly flavor and soft texture. This tiny lens shaped pulse has traditionally been used as a meat substitute (A pulse is the dried seed of any legume, such as beans and peas). Lentils are the seed of a small shrub and are dried after harvesting.
Suggested Use:
The quick cooking and nutritious nature of lentils make them an obvious choice for winter soups. They’re delicious in chilled vegetable salads, or mix with bread crumbs, minced onion and garlic to stuff roasted red peppers or eggplant.
Basic Prep:
Lentils do not require soaking. Simmer 1 cup lentils with 4 cups water 12 minutes for salads, 20 to 30 minutes for main dishes, drain. Skim the water while cooking. One cup dry yields 2 cups cooked.
Einkorn, literally meaning “single grain” in German, was first cultivated five to ten thousand years ago. Einkorn is an ancient grain that is not yet commonly known in the western world, but used often in the Mediterranean region and in the mountainous areas of Europe. This grain is slightly finicky, completely delicious, good for you, has a slight yellowish tinge, and smells (and even looks) a little like corn flour. Unlike modern wheat which has a long history of hybridization, einkorn is a “diploid”, containing only two chromosomes unlike the modern cousin, which contains six, making it a “hexaploid”. Einkorn is packed with nutrition. It is a rich source of the beta carotene lutein, a powerful antioxidant. Einkorn has the highest amounts of lutein of any other variety of wheat. Einkorn is also a rich source of tocotrienols and tocopherols, powerful antioxidants and forms of Vitamin E. Compared to modern wheat varieties, einkorn has higher levels of protein, crude fat, phosphorous, and potassium.
First cultivated in the ancient fields of Babylon, the rustic grain farro is now a central cereal grain for chefs. Del Destino Italian Semi-Pearled Farro is certified USDA organic and has a forgiving, fibrous texture that boasts a complex, nutty taste offering hints of oat and barley. Farro is the ideal alternative to rice in applications like risotto and soups.
It is a short grain variety with a pearled color. Its size is equivalent to that of the short grain rice, sometimes even smaller, yet Bomba rice more than doubles its size when cooked. Its main characteristic is its great capacity to absorb flavors and aromas and that when cooked it is always “al dente,” loose and whole.
Barley was one of the first crops cultivated by man, and has been used as a food since Biblical times. Today, barley is still considered an excellent source of soluble fiber. With a higher beta-glucan content than oats, barley can be effective in lowering serum cholesterol levels. Barley also contains fiber, protein, carbohydrates and B vitamins. It’s low in fat and has no cholesterol. Although pearled barley is commonly used in soups, barley can be milled into various fractions, producing different cuts, pearls, flours, grits and flakes.
Farro has seen a surge in popularity thanks to its excellent taste and adaptability. Now in couscous form, the nutty flavor and delightful chewy texture enhances a range of dishes from meat ragu to seafood stew, or even eaten simply drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Because it is easily digested and low in gluten, farro can often be eaten by people who are normally gluten-intolerant.