Poached Eggs with Lentils
(from the More Elaborate Dishes chapter of Another Fork in the Trail)

Note: Please see tips to make it non-perishable & lightweight as the original recipe is more for car or base camping. This can also be made at home for a nice weeknight dinner.

Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian
Makes 2 servings

My brother Bruce was an avid outdoors guy and was wild about poached eggs on toast. I was looking for a healthier alternative to bread and decided that lentils would fit the bill. This makes a terrific breakfast or brunch. If you can find truffle oil it is delicious drizzled over the egg in place of olive oil.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup onion, minced
1/3 cup carrot, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup canned green lentils, rinsed and drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pinch crushed red chili pepper flakes (optional)
2 fresh eggs
2 teaspoons olive oil

At Home
Preheat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until the vegetables are soft. Add the thyme and lentils. Heat the mixture through and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool and place in a ziplock freezer bag. Refrigerate until you are ready to pack your cooler. Wrap the crushed red chilies in a piece of plastic wrap and pack with the other dry goods you are taking. Pack the eggs and the lentil mixture in a cooler when you are ready to leave. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil to the other oil you will take with you.

At Camp
Warm the lentil mixture in a frying pan, place in a cozy, and set aside. Put a pot of water on to boil, crack 2 eggs into the pot, and let the water simmer to cook the eggs. The eggs will be cooked when the whites are firm and the yolks are thick and runny. If you prefer your yolks harder, leave the eggs in the water a little longer.

As the eggs come close to being ready to remove from the water, put half of the lentil mixture on each plate. Top with a poached egg, drizzle with olive oil, and a sprinkle of crushed red chili flakes, if desired.

Tip (this makes it very light too)
If you want to take this on a backcountry trip where spoilage would be an issue, you could dehydrate the lentil mixture for 6 to 10 hours and use a powdered scrambled egg mix in place of the poached egg.

Edited by Laurie_Ann on 04/04/2012 08:40:28 MDT.

Thanks for another great recipe Laurie. I have been enjoying lentils lately so this is very timely for me.

Thanks Kat. I also forgot to mention that if I am cooking lentils for a salad or other dish, I will cook extra and use those in place of canned lentils. If I do use canned, I always, always rinse them to get rid of some of the sodium that is added during the canning process.

Laurie,

Thanks for the recipe! I didn't realize that this was in your new book Another Fork In The Trail. I'll definitely get it to help for my trips this coming summer. I just wanted the recipe because it sounded like a great breakfast.

Peace!

You are welcome.... even my toddler loves this.