I know that many of my friends in west, north central and eastern Texas are holed up at home with all the rain and bad weather that is besieging those parts of the state. Stay warm, dry and safe, my friends.
Here’s a recipe to try if you want some good protein coupled with interesting flavors.
I first tasted this salad at a friend’s party before Christmas. It is delicious and different. Full of flavor. I made it for our Christmas dinner and everyone enjoyed it. It’s easy to make as long as you have all the spices in your cupboard. The blend of these spices along with the red onion, capers and currants creates a taste that is delicate and delectable. The recipe I used did not include cilantro, but I think its addition would only make this salad better. In fact, I was contemplating adding it the next time I made this just because I thought a little more color would be nice. This recipe comes from Epicurious. The one I used came directly from my friend.
Marinating the lentils with the dressing for at least 24 hours is ideal. I read another recipe that called for at least 2 hours of marinating, but the longer the better. It will allow the spices to reach their full flavor and to meld.
This is a great make-ahead salad for a social gathering. If you use green lentils, you’ll need to cook them much longer than the 5 minutes that is described in the recipe. I used green lentils and cooked them at least 20 minutes until they reached the “just tender” stage. Plus, I think the red lentils would make for a prettier salad.
INGREDIENTS
DRESSING: 3/4 C olive oil 1/2 C wine vinegar 3 TB sugar 2 tsp salt 2 tsp pepper 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 tsp ground mace 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp curry powder 2 TB chopped fresh cilantro
SALAD: 1 LB dried red lentils 1 1/4 C currants 1/2 C capers 1 C finely chopped red onion
PREPARATION
Whisk together the dressing and set aside. Wash lentils. Cook in boiling water 5-6 minutes or until just tender. Rinse and drain well. Combine with the other salad ingredients. Add the dressing; mix well and let marinate at least overnight. Stir before serving.
Be sure and let me know what you think if you try the recipe. I will be making this again and again. I loved it.
I will be checking in again tomorrow.
Comments