French Green Lentils

French Green Lentils: French Green Lentils are prized above other lentils for their strong peppery flavor and their firmness, even after cooking. High in fiber and protein like most lentils, french green lentils are usually more expensive than other lentil varieties. They are firm and hold together well after cooking, but they do take a bit longer to cook than other lentils. Lentils take longer to cook in salted or acidic water, so starting them in plain water will reduce cooking times which are usually under 20 minutes. Unlike dried beans there is no need to soak lentils, they should be rinsed and sorted to remove stones and other debris and then can go right into the pot. French Green Lentils will stay whole even if overcooked, where brown and red lentils will usually fall apart. Crimson lentils make a great thickener because they dissolve after a few minutes in hot water, but french green lentils retain their shape and so are not used as a thickener.

The rich peppery flavor of French Green Lentils is due in part to the volcanic soils where they grow. Also known as puy lentils, french green lentils were originally grown in Puy, in southwest France. Today they are also grown in Italy and North America, but are still identified as "Puy lentils" or "lentilles du Puy" because of their origins. And while their color is mostly a beautiful slate green, they are marbled with flecks of darker slate blue. Other lentils can be substituted for french green, but more care must be taken to manage cooking times so they will hold their shape. Lentils are versatile, they can be comfort food on a cold winter night, the center of a gourmet vegetarian meal, or part of a festive ethnic feast. Eat more lentils!

French Green Lentils Facts:
• French green lentils are also known as Puy lentils
• French green lentils originated in the Puy region of France
• They grow well in rich volcanic soil
• They have a strong peppery flavor and firm texture
• French green lentils tend to stay whole even after cooking
• French green lentils are the most prized of all lentil varieties
• They are slate green with blue flecks
• Lentils do not need to be soaked prior to cooking

Nutritional data per 100g: Alanine - 1.172 g Arginine - 2.168 g Ash - 2.67 g Aspartic acid - 3.102 g Calcium, Ca - 56 mg Carbohydrate, by difference - 60.08 g Carotene, beta - 23 mcg Copper, Cu - 0.519 mg Cystine - 0.368 g Energy - 1477 kj Energy - 353 kcal Fatty acids, total monounsaturated - 0.189 g Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated - 0.516 g Fatty acids, total saturated - 0.156 g Fiber, total dietary - 30.5 g Folate, DFE - 479 mcg_DFE Folate, food - 479 mcg Folate, total - 479 mcg Fructose - 0.27 g Glutamic acid - 4.350 g Glycine - 1.140 g Histidine - 0.790 g Iron, Fe - 7.54 mg Isoleucine - 1.212 g Leucine - 2.034 g Lysine - 1.957 g Magnesium, Mg - 122 mg Maltose - 0.30 g Manganese, Mn - 1.330 mg Methionine - 0.238 g Niacin - 2.605 mg Pantothenic acid - 2.140 mg Phenylalanine - 1.383 g Phosphorus, P - 451 mg Potassium, K - 955 mg Proline - 1.172 g Protein - 25.80 g Riboflavin - 0.211 mg Selenium, Se - 8.3 mcg Serine - 1.293 g Sodium, Na - 6 mg Sucrose - 1.47 g Sugars, total - 2.03 g Thiamin - 0.873 mg Threonine - 1.006 g Tocopherol, gamma - 4.23 mg Total lipid (fat) - 1.06 g Tryptophan - 0.251 g Tyrosine - 0.750 g Valine - 1.392 g Vitamin A, IU - 39 IU Vitamin A, RAE - 2 mcg_RAE Vitamin B-6 - 0.540 mg Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid - 4.4 mg Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) - 0.49 mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone) - 5.0 mcg Water - 10.40 g Zinc, Zn - 4.78 mg

French Green Lentils

Where to buy: French Green Lentils