Lentil festival issues call for recipes

Pullman's National Lentil Festival this week issued its annual call for recipe entry for the 22nd annual Legendary Lentil Cook-off, presented by USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council.

Every year, the cook-off receives recipes that use lentils. In 2015 they received 109 recipes from 24 states, Canada, and even the United Kingdom, according to Alexandria Anderson, festival director.

The top five finalists will be invited to prepare their recipes at the festival. These will be tasted by a panel of Celebrity Judges and by the first 100 festival goers. The first place winner will be crowned with an official National Lentil Festival chef’s hat and go home with $2,000. Second place is awarded $1000 and third place is $500.

There is an additional $100 prize for the “People’s Choice Award”.

Each recipe submission will be pre-screened by a panel of food experts, who will select the top five recipes. All recipes will be rated on ease of preparation, flavor, texture, creativity appearance and use of lentils.

All recipes are required to have one half-cup of dry lentils or one cup of cooked lentils and are limited to a maximum of 15 ingredients. All recipes must be submitted online at http://www.lentilfest.com by June 13, 2016.