It was hard to find the origin of Canal House lentils. I was told New Orleans. But, I found no evidence to support this claim. If you know, please share in the comments. More importantly, this recipe hails Le Puy lentils, a unique member of the lentil family.

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Le Puy Lentils

FRENCH Le Puy LENTILS are about one-third the size of regular lentils and have a slight peppery taste. They are grown in mineral rich volcanic ash in a French town called Le Puy (PWEE)-en-Velay in the Haute Loire region of Auvergne, France. Aromatics are sautéed and then simmered with French Le Puy lentils for 20 to 25 minutes. It is an easy side dish, redolent of a Provencal feast. Authentic Le Puy lentils have an A.O.C. (appellation d’origine contrôlée) seal of approval. In fact in 1996, Le Puy green lentil was the first vegetable to obtain an A.O.C. designation.

French Green Lentil – Verte du Puy

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium leek white and pale green parts, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 cup of green lentils ( preferably French Le Puy Lentils)
• 2 tbsp. reduced salt soy sauce
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take a saucepan and heat oil on a medium heat.
2. Add the leek and cook for a minute/ then add chopped garlic and tomato paste, stir and watch as paste darkens in about 4 minutes.
3. Add lentils and ½ cup water. Boil it on high and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 45-55 minutes, with occasional stirring.
4. Remove from heat and set aside covered for 10 minutes.
5. Then, stir in soy sauce and season with salt and pepper.
6. Optional: Serve with diced scallions, red pepper and/or cilantro, parsley and finely chopped kale.

Serving Suggestions

Warm Salad Today ……Cold Salad Tomorrow. You Can Serve It Either Way

Quality & Assurance of Origin -AOC

Le Puy lentils: The first vegetable to acquire the AOC ( Appellation d’Origine Côntrolée ) certification in France. It assures the buyer that this item originated in the geographical region of Le Puy in France. AOC supports the authenticity of wines, cheese or in this case Le Puy lentils.

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