Lucky Lentils

I was surprised when I read Martha Rose Shulman’s New Year’s Dishes for Prosperity and Longevity, in the New York Times.  Though she writes that Italians consider lentils good luck at the beginning of the New Year, she doesn’t mention that they’re also popular in Latin America and Spain.  I know because I’ve been forcing them down New Year’s lentils for years.  Not my favorite bean, I’m purely in it for the prosperity.  So if you’re Italian, Hispanic, or need a little luck, here’s a recipe to start the New Year.