Lentil Salad With Walnut Oil Recipes

COLD LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Peel outer skins from garlic bulbs and cut about 1/4 inch from the top of each bulb to expose cloves; place each bulb onto a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle each with about 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, and wrap garlic bulbs in the foil. Place wrapped bulbs into a baking dish.
• Bake garlic in the preheated oven until soft, about 30 minutes. Let bulbs cool.
• Place lentils into a 5-quart pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Drain lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cold water to cool; drain again.
• Break garlic bulbs apart and squeeze cloves to release cooked garlic. Place garlic into a large salad bowl and add grape tomatoes, parsley, and green onions. Whisk balsamic vinegar with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Fold lentils into tomato mixture and pour dressing over salad; gently toss to coat. Keep refrigerated until serving time.

LENTIL SALAD WITH WALNUT OIL

Steps:

• Combine the lentils, garlic, bay leaf, onion, carrot and water in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste (1 to 2 teaspoons), reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes until the lentils are tender. Remove from the heat. and discard the onion, carrot, garlic cloves and bay leaf. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl.
• Whisk together the vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and shallot or garlic. Whisk in the oil and 2 to 4 tablespoons of the liquid from the lentils. Stir into the lentils. Add the parsley and pepper, and taste and adjust salt. Spoon onto plates, arrange walnuts on top of the lentils, and serve.

CRUNCHY LENTIL WALNUT SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils and put them in a saucepan with plenty of lightly salted water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 20 - 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still have a good crunch/bite to them. Be careful to not overcook them.
• While the lentils are cooking, make the dressing. Mix the vinegar, mustard, oil, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the dressing as you like to your taste preferences.
• Drain the lentils well and mix them into the dressing while still warm, stirring to cook the lentils. Remove the bay leaf and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• Add in the walnuts and green onion. Taste, and add additional salt, if desired. I serve the salad at room temperature or warm. The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Let it come to room temperature before serving; it may need to be re-seasoned once refrigerated.

LENTIL-WALNUT SALAD

Steps:

• Cook lentils with onion half, cloves, broth and thyme until tender but NOT mushy (check after about 25 minutes).
• In a large bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, green onions and oils.
• When lentils are done, drain and immediately pour dressing over the hot lentils (it's important to do this while lentils are hot).
• Season with salt and (lots) of black pepper; combine thoroughly, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Just before serving add the walnuts; finish by adding a little more white wine vinegar or walnut oil if you like and garnish with flat-leaf parsley and more black pepper.

LENTIL SALAD WITH MUSHROOMS AND APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Season with salt and add the lentils. Cook until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl to let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, spread the squash in a single layer on the prepared sheet tray. Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with pepper and the sage. Roast the squash until it begins to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Toss the mushrooms in a bowl with 2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add the mushrooms to the squash and roast until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Toss in the walnuts and continue to cook to toast the walnuts, another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Add the squash, mushrooms and walnuts, parsley, radishes, apples and vinaigrette to the bowl of lentils and toss to coat evenly. Serve.

LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• Sort and rinse: 1 cup lentils.
• Cover with water by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until tender all the way through (adding more water if necessary), about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the lentils with: 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Let sit for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and vinegar if needed. Add: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions or 3 tablespoons finely diced shallot, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley.
• Stir to combine. If the lentils seem dry and are hard to stir, loosen them with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid.
• Variations
• Add 1/2 cup diced cucumber.
• Dice very fine 1/4 cup each of carrot, celery, and onion. Cook until tender in a couple spoonfuls of olive oil. Cool and stir into the salad in place of the scallions or shallots.
• Garnish with 1/2 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese.
• Toast and crush 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and add to the salad. Substitute cilantro for the parsley.
• Dice 1/4 cup flavorful sweet peppers, season with salt, and let stand to soften. Stir in with the scallions or shallots.