Sibling rivalry is as old as mankind.  I’m sure you don’t have to look too far (if at all) to identify dysfunctional siblings that you know, and you certainly don’t have to search to deeply into the Bible to find some robust examples of siblings behaving badly.

I walked in the door tonight with the house deliciously warm and tasty-smelling.  As I sat down to eat my steaming hot lentil soup and pan-cooked deer steak, a thought popped into my head- Jacob and Esau! 

What do we know about these Biblical brothers?  That Esau was a hunter, a “man of game,” and that Jacob was a goody-two-shoes who was making lentil soup when Esau came in from the hunt, ready to forego his birthright for some of that “red, red stuff” that Jacob was putting together for dinner.

It’s a great dinner, and a lovely juxtaposition of tastes.  Deer meat is delicious, and quite lean, and lentils are hearty, heart-healthy, and can be quite flavorful.  Throw in some homemade bread from the breadmaker, and perhaps a nice glass of red wine or a full-bodied beer, and you’ve got a feast fit for a king… or a pair of Biblical brothers.

The best part- this dinner is almost impossible to screw up.  All you need is a functioning stove and some patience.  Enjoy!

Esau’s Deer steaks– available from your friendly neighborhood hunter and his certified game butcher

There’s no secret to cooking deer.  It’s very lean, so don’t overdo it.  You should be able to taste the freshness of the meat— because if you’re eating deer meat, the odds are it’s either super-fresh or was frozen shortly after it was killed. 

There are two ways I’d recommend to cook it:

1. On the Foreman Grill for about 4 minutes per side- use spices of your choosing.  Don’t overcook it- it will be very tough if cooked for too long.

2. On a sauté pan for 20-30 minutes with a light red wine and herb sauce.  Keep checking with your finger to make sure the meat is somewhat spongy… but don’t overdo it.

created at: 2012-01-09Jacob’s Lentil Soup

One bag brown lentils

Two celery stalks

One large can of whole tomatoes

Two carrots

One onion

Salt, pepper

Optional- cumin, paprika

6 cups of water

Lentil soup is idiot-proof.  Add all the ingredients and cook over low-medium heat until the lentils are soft.  You can also dump it all in a crock pot in the morning and put it on LOW, coming back at night to a Biblical, fiber-filled feast.  Adjust the seasonings or add additional ones to meet your taste preferences.  Lentil soup is the gift that keeps on giving- made a whole pot and you’ll have lunch for a week.

This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE