Lentils are something I did not fully warm up to until I was in my 20’s. Wow, it’s not until I make statements like that that I realize I am no longer in my 20’s, something I am also a bit slow to warm up to.
In any event, I didn’t see much use for them. There was quinoa, and rice, and beans, and so many other proteins that fit the bill just fine in salads, soups, and the like. It wasn’t until I made Jamie Oliver’s prosciutto-wrapped salmon over lentils, dressed with a dollop of yogurt that I woke up to just how delicious and versatile they are. They are also super affordable, and stretch out almost any meal.
This is a variation on a lentil salad I made in culinary school, and I rotate some version of this into my work-week lunch plan very often. As I often say, these ingredients are TOTALLY interchangeable. If you have white wine vinegar, use that instead of champagne. If you don’t have walnut oil, throw in some extra toasted walnuts to compensate, and if you don’t have a commercial Garam Masala Indian spice blend, you can easily throw one together using cloves, cinnamon, cumin, peppercorns and cardamom. The whole idea is not to limit yourself, with any salad the secret is balancing out the flavors to create harmony.
This can easily be made a vegetarian dish by omitting the chicken, or top with a spiced salmon or cod if you’re in the mood for seafood. It’s a great dish that knows no limits.
FOR LENTIL-WALNUT SALAD:
SERVES 2
4 oz. French green lentils
½ carrot, cut in small dice
½ English cucumber, cut in small dice
¼ leek, cut in small dice
1 Tablespoon fresh parley, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
2 ½ oz. toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1 ½ oz. Mustard Walnut Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Simmer lentils in boiling, salted water until tender according to package directions. Refresh in cold water, and drain well.
Combine lentils, carrot, cucumber, herbs, leek, walnuts, and vinaigrette and refrigerate until ready to serve.
FOR MUSTARD-WALNUT VINAIGRETTE:
YIELD 16 FL. OZ.
4 fluid oz. champagne vinegar
2 oz. spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon honey
2 shallots, minced
10 fluid oz. mild olive oil
2 fluid oz. walnut oil
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Combine vinegar, mustard, shallot and salt and pepper and whisk.
Whisk in oils gradually, add herbs and whisk until fully combined.
Dress lentil salad as needed.
FOR CHICKEN BREASTS:
SERVES 2
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6-8 oz. each)
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Preheat broiler to high.
Pat chicken dry. Stir together spices, salt, and 1 Tablespoon oil and rub evenly all over chicken. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat broiler to high, and put in roasting pan 5 minutes before ready to cook the chicken to get it hot.
Remove chicken from the refrigerator, and place breasts in roasting pan, under broiler. Broil for 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with lentil salad and vinaigrette.