From Vancouver to Halifax, 24 restaurants across Canada are serving mouth-watering signature lentil dishes as part of a cross-Canada competition throughout the month of June ending on the 30^th. Eat. Vote. Win.

I had a chance to try some of these new and delicious lentil dishes at four Vancouver restaurants which are all participating in this nationwide lentils promotion.

Many Canadians do not know that Canada is one of the world’s largest producers of lentils, growing 3.1 million acres of lentils last year.  Types of lentils produced in Canada include commonly known green lentils and split red lentils, and lesser known black or beluga lentils and French Green lentils. The chefs involved at each participating restaurant were invited to use one or any combination of lentils grown in Canada to create their signature dish.

In Vancouver, there are 4 restaurants participating and each one is offering a very different type of lentils dish, these are the ones that I tried, which you should try as well.

Chef Trevor Bird at Fable Kitchen created the rich and delicious, Chorizo and Lentil Ragout

Fable Kitchen

1944 West 4^th Ave, Vancouver

Tel 604-732-1322

Web: www.fablekitchen.ca

Twitter: @fablekitchen

Chef Chris Whittaker at Forage created the light and flavourful, Lentil and Spring vegetable Biryana “Sprouted Lentils” with first of the season English peas, carrots, edible flowers, pickled mustard seeds, raita

Forage

1300 Robson Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-661-1400

Web:  http://www.foragevancouver.com

Twitter: @forageVancouver

Chef Nathan Lowey of Campagnolo created a rich and heavenly Lentil and Fois Gras Croquette

Campagnolo

1020 Main St, Vancouver

Tel: 604-484-6018

Web: www.campagnolorestaurant.ca

Twitter: @Campagnolomain

Chef Jonathan Chovancek of Café Medina created a hearty and delicous Mercimekli – Turkish Lentil Cassoulet with red and green lentils, fava tops served with focaccia bread

Café Medina

780 Richards Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604 879 3114

Web: www.medinacafe.com

Twitter: @CafeMedina

Well-known Canadian food advocate, Food Day Canada founder and Canadian Lentils campaign ambassador, Anita Stewart, was instrumental in bringing on board the  24 restaurants, which are also Food Day Canada participants committed to using Canadian ingredients.

Canadian Lentils is an Official Mark of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, a farmer funded organization that works to advance the pulse industry in Saskatchewan, the heart of the lentil-growing region in Canada. For more information about Canadian Lentils and to see more great ways to cook with lentils, visit www.lentils.ca.

As each of these dishes were all so different and each so good, competition is going to be tough, make sure you try all of these before you choose your own winner, do remember to vote for each of these dishes and vote often before June 30. Canadians can dine on the creative dishes and vote online at fundelentil.ca for their favourite lentil dish and be entered for a chance to win a trip to one of seven Canadian cities (contest details are available online).

By: Richard Wolak