One of my boys (my young men?) has asked for this recipe several times.  I’m glad you like it, Aaron, it was always one of my favorites, also.  I really don’t have any philosophical reason to avoid meat — I just don’t like it.  I think vegetarian meals, including protein from legumes and grains, is a lot more healthful.  A good resource on this are the books, Diet for a Small Planet, by Frances Moore Lappe, and its companion, Recipes for a Small Planet, by Ellen Buchwald.  I really like this approach.  And, of course, More With Less is an excellent source of common-sense recipes for those who want to eat responsibly, for their own health as well as for the good of others.

So we ate a lot of beans when I was growing up.  My mom always served navy beans, slow cooked with ham hocks, onion and bay leaf. Just like the chili, we added a dash of vinegar, and lots of ground black pepper, and hot cornbread.  Mom was mildly amused when, after she had been in the hospital for a couple of weeks, Dad proudly said that he had “discovered a great way to cook beans: you just soak them overnight, and then cook them at a really low temperature for about 3 hours! ” To Mom, it was sort of like reinventing the wheel.  I continued the tradition while raising a family of eight children.  I remember being a little embarrassed when one of the boys’ friends walked in the house, sniffed and said, “Hmmm your mom’s cooking beans again.”  I don’t think he wanted to stay for supper that night. Lentils are a more convenient legume to serve, as they do not require soaking.  Brown lentils look a little “homely”, so if you can get red lentils at the City Market, they look a little better.  Kusherie is a recipe straight out of More With Less, and is subtitled Egyptian Rice and Lentils.  If you have trouble with raw onions, ask hubby to slice them.

Kusherie

Heat in a skillet:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Add:

• 1 1/4 cup dry lentils

Brown lentils over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add:

• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• dash pepper

Cook uncovered 10 minutes over medium heat.

Stir in:

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• 1 cup boiling water

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 24 minutes without stirring.

In another saucepan, heat together:

• 3/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 cups tomato juice or tomato sauce
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks chopped celery
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Simmer for 20 minutes

For the Onions, in a skillet heat:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 onions, sliced thinly
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Cook these gently til soft and slightly brown.

To serve, put the rice and lentil mixture on a platter.  Pour the tomato sauce over and top with onions.  Serve with a nice spinach salad.