Mediterranean Lentil Salad
The recipes tag is one of my most frequently used tags over the life of this journal, but outside of some recipes for my 2016 Supper Club I've only used it twice since the start of 2015. This, however, reflects a failure to document new recipes on my part, and not a failure to try new recipes. It is a rare week indeed that goes by without at least one new recipe coming through my kitchen. Heck, out of the most recent Eating Well I've already made four recipes.
Some years ago M got me the cookbook Moosewood Restaurant Favorites. Like the other Moosewood books, the recipes are all pisco-vegetarian. At this point I've made well over half the recipes, and more often than not I've liked the recipe enough to make it again. Earlier this summer I made the Mediterranean Lentil Salad. M and I really enjoyed it, so when I was invited to Rosh Hashanah dinner last week I volunteered to bring it as a side. I brought along a double batch, which was overkill because as with most such dinners there was far too much food. However, it must have been good, because Ivy (aka, the friend whose summer nuptials inspired one of my more anal retentive lists) asked for the recipe. Here it is.
Mediterranean Lentil Salad
From Moosewood Restaurant Favorites (page 118).
Lentil
1 cup dried French green lentils - I buy them at the West Side Market
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves - I actually forgot these when I made them for Rosh Hashanah
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Vegetables
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed) - Listed as optional, but I think they're essential.
1/2 cup diced celery or fennel bulb - I used celery for Rosh Hashanah, fennel for M
1/2 cup seeded & diced bell peppers - red, yellow or orange
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes - I used the little yellow tomatoes to contrast with the red pepper
Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper - honestly, who bothers with 1/8 measures in a salad. Use 1/4 or go to taste.
[1] In a saucepan, bring all the ingredients in the Lentil section to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water as needed. Or, do like I did and pop them in the pressure cooker for however much time your pressure cooker requires for green lentils.
[2] Meanwhile, put the sun dried tomatoes in a bowl. Submerge them in boiling water and wait 15 minutes.
[3] In a larger bowl, mix together the celery/fennel, bell pepper, red onions and parsley.
[4] Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and set aside.
[5] Once the sun-dried tomatoes have softened, drain them water and mince them. Add to the vegetables.
[6] When lentils are tender, drain off the water and discard the bay leaves. Toss the lentils, vegetables and dressing together.
[7] Immediately prior to serving add the fresh tomatoes, salt and pepper.
This takes about 40 minutes and makes 4 cups of salad. As a side, it will serve 4-6 people. I have eaten it newly prepared and refrigerated overnight and it's good both ways. It's also very pretty, especially if you pick your vegi variants to balance the colors. Enjoy!
Some years ago M got me the cookbook Moosewood Restaurant Favorites. Like the other Moosewood books, the recipes are all pisco-vegetarian. At this point I've made well over half the recipes, and more often than not I've liked the recipe enough to make it again. Earlier this summer I made the Mediterranean Lentil Salad. M and I really enjoyed it, so when I was invited to Rosh Hashanah dinner last week I volunteered to bring it as a side. I brought along a double batch, which was overkill because as with most such dinners there was far too much food. However, it must have been good, because Ivy (aka, the friend whose summer nuptials inspired one of my more anal retentive lists) asked for the recipe. Here it is.
Mediterranean Lentil Salad
From Moosewood Restaurant Favorites (page 118).
Lentil
1 cup dried French green lentils - I buy them at the West Side Market
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves - I actually forgot these when I made them for Rosh Hashanah
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Vegetables
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed) - Listed as optional, but I think they're essential.
1/2 cup diced celery or fennel bulb - I used celery for Rosh Hashanah, fennel for M
1/2 cup seeded & diced bell peppers - red, yellow or orange
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes - I used the little yellow tomatoes to contrast with the red pepper
Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper - honestly, who bothers with 1/8 measures in a salad. Use 1/4 or go to taste.
[1] In a saucepan, bring all the ingredients in the Lentil section to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water as needed. Or, do like I did and pop them in the pressure cooker for however much time your pressure cooker requires for green lentils.
[2] Meanwhile, put the sun dried tomatoes in a bowl. Submerge them in boiling water and wait 15 minutes.
[3] In a larger bowl, mix together the celery/fennel, bell pepper, red onions and parsley.
[4] Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and set aside.
[5] Once the sun-dried tomatoes have softened, drain them water and mince them. Add to the vegetables.
[6] When lentils are tender, drain off the water and discard the bay leaves. Toss the lentils, vegetables and dressing together.
[7] Immediately prior to serving add the fresh tomatoes, salt and pepper.
This takes about 40 minutes and makes 4 cups of salad. As a side, it will serve 4-6 people. I have eaten it newly prepared and refrigerated overnight and it's good both ways. It's also very pretty, especially if you pick your vegi variants to balance the colors. Enjoy!