| July 1, 2020 -- Summer is all about spending time in the sunshine, and stopping at roadside stands and farmers’ markets to pick up the best fresh fruits and vegetables. What is your favorite summertime salad? If you’re looking for something that’s farmstead fresh but a little different give this easy recipe from SimplyRecipes.com for Lentil Salad with Summer Vegetables a try.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Puy lentils 3 stalks celery, diced small
2 cloves garlic 1 yellow pepper, diced
1 bay leaf
Handful of parsley stems, 1 pint grape/cherry tomatoes, halved tied together with a string
1/4 cup minced red onion 2 1/2 cups water
1 cup baby arugula
For the vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley 1/4 teaspoon sugar
Zest from 1/2 lemon 1 tablespoon minced shallots
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1 Cook the lentils: In a medium pot combine lentils, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaf, a handful of parsley stems. Add enough water to cover the lentils by 1 1/2 to 2 inches (about 2 1/2 cups).
Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 25 minutes. The exact time will vary based on how dry the lentils are. When you get about 10 minutes out from the finished cooking time, start sampling the lentils to check for doneness—when cooked, they should be tender, but still intact. Continue sampling every 5 minutes until they’re ready.
When the lentils are done, drain them and discard the bay leaf, garlic, and parsley stems.
2 While the lentils cook, make the vinaigrette In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, salt, oregano, sugar, and shallots.
3 Mix the hot lentils with the vinaigrette: Add the hot lentils to the vinaigrette, and stir to coat. By combining the vinaigrette with the lentils while they are still hot, the lentils will absorb more of the flavor from the vinaigrette making the salad extra tasty. Allow to cool.
4 Assemble the salad: Add the prepared vegetables and arugula. If your arugula is large, stack it and slice it into thick, short ribbons before adding it to the salad. Stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste and finish with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.
5 Serve room temperature or cold, as a vegetarian meal, or alongside a sandwich, frittata, chicken, or fish. This salad is best eaten the day it’s made.
TIPS:
1- Use French Puy or Italian Castelluccio lentils because they are both tender, but keep their shape, which makes them ideal to use in salads like this one.
2- Cucumber makes a fantastic addition to this summer salad.
SOURCE: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/lentil_salad_with_summer_vegetables/
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