Speed up cooking time by using boiling water from the kettle.
Add to soups and stews.
Create ‘dahl dips’, cook and puree with garlic, spices etc.
Cous cous – dip fish into cous cous before frying for a crispy coating. Or do the same with burger patties/veggie patties or fish cakes.
Use up salad/vegetables by chopping and mixing through cous cous and serving as an accompaniment to meals.
Couscous
Cook the couscous as directed on the packet. Add lemon juice and a drizzle of Merchant Gourmet Garlic Infused Oil. Add freshly chopped mint and parsley and serve with grilled or roasted chicken or fish.
Cook the couscous as directed on the packet, substituting fish, meat or vegetable stock for a richer flavour.
Serve freshly cooked couscous with roasted poussin, chicken or guinea fowl, mixing the juices from the roasted meat with the couscous just before serving.
Mix cooked couscous with pesto and chopped sun dried tomatoes. Use to stuff roasted red peppers before topping with Parmesan cheese and grilling.
Black Beluga® Lentils
Pan-fry streaky bacon until crispy. Add some red onion and sliced mushrooms and sauté until soft. Stir in cooked Black Beluga® Lentils, some roasted red pepper and a pinch of dried chilli flakes and stir until warmed through.
Mix cooked and cooled Black Beluga® Lentils with finely chopped tomatoes, diced chorizo and chopped black olives. Stir in some sun dried tomato sauce, crème fraiche or pesto and use to top crostini.
For a simple and delicious Black Beluga® Lentil, Chestnut and Mushroom Pate, place cooked and cooled Black Beluga® Lentils into a food processor, add some Merchant Gourmet Chestnut Pieces and some sautéed mushrooms. Blend until the mixture resembles a course pate. Add some chilli, garlic and a drizzle of olive oil along with some fresh herbs and serve with hot toast.
Polenta
Chop set polenta into small cubes and deep fry. Allow to cool and use as croutons in soups and salads.
Punch up your polenta’s flavour by adding grated Parmesan, fresh herbs, pesto or sun dried tomato sauce during cooking.
Mix soft polenta with pesto and line a tart tin, leave to set. Once firm, fill with your favourite tart fillings.
Chop set polenta into cubes and thread onto kebab skewers, alternate the polenta with SunBlush® Tomatoes and chunks of halloumi cheese and barbecue.
Add olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a generous seasoning of salt & black pepper to soft polenta and serve alongside your favourite meat, fish or vegetable casserole.
Puy Lentils
Sauté some cubes of Chorizo sausage and roasted red pepper in olive oil. Stir in some freshly cooked Puy Lentils and a tablespoon of crème fraiche or natural yoghurt and use to top crostini of fill mini tart cases and serve as a canapé.
Puy Lentils are a delicious addition to soups. Add them to vegetable broths or create a rich winter soup with Puy Lentils, chunks of sausage and winter vegetables, stir in some crumbled blue cheese or a swirl of cream.
Mix freshly cooked Puy Lentils with thyme and roasted garlic. Stir in chunks of goat’s cheese and serve with wedges of roasted butternut squash or pumpkin.
Cooked and cooled Puy Lentils make a delicious and filling salad when dressed with extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, and topped with grilled fish or chicken.
Puy Lentils mixed with roasted peppers, caramelised red onions and goat’s cheese makes a wonderful tart filling or topping for pizza and foccacia.
Add baby spinach to just cooked Puy Lentils and allow the spinach to wilt. Season with freshly grated nutmeg and serve alongside roast pork or sausages, with rich onion gravy.
