Customer Reviews

Bob's Red Mill French Green Lentils, 24-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

These lentils are sold as "French", but are actually grown in Oregon. Uncooked, they look very similar to the very tasty lentils from Puy, France. Once cooked, however, they lose their dark green marbled color and swell up to a much larger and softer lentil very similar to the lentil most Americans are familiar with. If you're looking for the real deal, stick with lentils from Puy, which are tiny and dark green. When cooked the Puy lentil remains small and has a firm texture, retaining its earthy texture, color and flavor. The Oregon lentils do not.

I've always liked lentils but only recently tried green ones. They are delicious and so good for you. Makes really elegant soup combined with Italian sausage, garlic, and fennel. And that's only for starters -

I am a huge fan of French green lentils, and this is by far my favorite recipe:

Cook up dried lentils til dente. Toss with crumbled gorgonzola (or other favorite cheese) and sauteed onion and chard stems. Roll the filling up inside of wilted chard leaves and place in any old baking dish. Top with a simple bechamel sauce and bake til warm through. It's a great vegetarian dish to share with company but it's soo good you shouldn't wait until you're hosting. Just cook it up for yourself!

Lentils would win the Miss Congeniality title in any legume pageant. Even the lowly brown grocery store variety is tasty in soups, salads and on their own, but Lentils du Puy are the Holy Grail of lentils, grown in rocky French soil and very expensive in the US. Bob's Red Mill French Green Lentils are the closest things to Lentils du Puy we can get. Even these are not cheap, but SO worth the price!

How fortunate are we that Bob's Red Mill has these tiny green jewels available. Described on the package as 'exquisite', this is not hyperbole. They are beautiful to look at and to eat. The flavor is more sharply defined and 'beanier' than the brown kind, and makes a superb soup. Simply saute some chopped up carrots, onions and garlic in some olive oil, add a cup of these green lentils in three cups of water or stock, a cup of dry wine, and a can of stewed tomatoes with juice, a healthy pinch of Herbes de Provence or Italian Seasoning, a couple of bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Meat eaters can add some ham cubes, cut up cooked Italian sausages or smoked turkey cubes, but it's wonderful meat free and even better the next day. For an elegant soup, use a stick blender to puree, and add a little cream or lemon, but none of these is necessary. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to serve is the perfect touch.

I'm thrilled with these lentils and they've become a staple in my kitchen. They do take a little longer to cook than the package directs, and do not expect them to become mushy. No matter how done they are, they will retain their shape along with a lovely chewiness. Main dish, soup, side dish or salad, you can't go wrong.

These are some of the best lentils I have eaten. They are a little firmer, and taste a little better than anything I have found on local store shelves. I eat these as a stand alone meal, and I am sure you will like these as compared to any others you have tried.

Clem

I have had many different types of lentils...these are by far the very best!!

These lentils are very fresh and a very high quality product. I am very pleased and I recommend these to anone who loves lentils. Absolutely wonderful!

I eat lentils at least once a week if not more and these are the best I've ever had. Typically, I just buy the pound bag of goya or store-brand lentils which are serviceable, but every once in a while I'll order these from amazon. They really have much more taste than the generic pound bag of lentils. They take longer to cook, but are definitely worth it. Highly recommended

French green lentils are almost impossible to find in the area where I live. As usual I contacted Amazon and lo and behold, there was quite a selection. We are very fond of lentils, in the form of soup or salad, and these lentils are quite tasty and hold their shape better than the brown kind.

I placed the lentils in a pyrex bowl and steamed for thirty minutes. They tasted fine and even better mixed into steamed quinoa. I put off cooking these lentils because I was afraid they would be too much trouble but steaming in my Oster steamer was easy and quick.

I didn't find any pebbles in my first batch.