Luscious Lentils

Mister Sive is sharing his recipe for lentils on this Wine & Dine Wednesday which is so yummy and colorful and good for you too. Enjoy!

Lentils are one of Mother Nature’s perfect foods: super-healthy, tasty, and a fine accompaniment to many dishes. “Well,” you may be saying, “I’m not sure about that “tasty” part, Ted Sive.” Okay, I agree, while we like their earthy goodness, lentils do benefit from some added zing.

This is a dish I created one evening at Hawthorne, seeking a good balance to some fresh sausages from a local farm. The vinaigrette adds so much, especially the fruity and acidic tones of the vinegar. We love green lentils:  they seem fresher than brown, and work well with the sprightly flavors here. And this dish is so easy to assemble!

Mince one shallot and soak in ½ cup of red wine vinegar in a bowl large enough to hold the cooked lentils. Cook 2 cups of dry lentils in your favorite chicken or vegetable stock. Julienne a loose cup of Italian parsley leaves. Cut 2 carrots with a potato peeler into long shavings; gather lengthwise in a bundle, and cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch lengths. 

Towards the end of cooking, whisk in to the vinegar ½ cup of EVOO and salt and pepper to taste. Before the lentils are fully cooked—al dente—drain well and fold* into the vinaigrette with a rubber spatula. Add the carrots and parsley and fold until just mixed through. Let stand 10 minutes or so; the warm lentils will soak up much of the vinaigrette and soften further. Stir a bit more, serve up with grilled sausage or salmon, and an arugula salad, and both your taste buds and your nutritionist will approve!

*If you haven’t watched David and Moira Rose learn about “folding in,” you’re missing one of the great culinary moments in TV history.