Why have I not cooked lentils before?

They cook up quick and they are tasty, even plain. I should be making them regularly.

My first batch of lentils went straight into these.



Yeah, lentil cakes don't photograph very well. Or, at least, I don't photograph them very well. But I can assure you that these were delicious. Adam was skeptical when he saw me dumping the batter onto the cookie sheets, but they won him over in the end. And they are easy as pie (easy as lentil cakes? I should start using that) to boot.

These are based on one of the baked bean cake variations in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Here's how I made them.

Cheesy Baked Lentil Cakes
makes 8 cakes

Ingredients
3 cups cooked lentils
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated cheddar
1/4 medium-sized onion, minced
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspons cumin powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
In a large bowl, slightly mash lentils with a fork. Whisk in eggs and cheese until combined. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until just combined.

Heat a little bit of olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and lightly browned. Stir in the cumin and oregano. Add to bean mixture. Stir until just combined. If the mixture is too thin and runny, add a little more flour.

Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchament paper, forming eight patties.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve hot, topped with sour cream and salsa.