Turkish Lentil Salad

Amarante

Thu, Oct 22 2020, 10:40 am

This was excellent. It just looks a bit of a potchke because the dressing is a separate recipe but I made it ahead of time as suggested and then let it come to room temperature when served.

The dressing or infusion is delicious and could be used as a simple sauce for a variety of other foods as suggested and could be made ahead of time if you wanted to divide prep into making the dressing and making the lentil part.

Turkish Lentil Salad

Excerpt From: Joyce Goldstein - The New Mediterranean Jewish Table

Lentils are used in salads and soups all over the Mediterranean. When they are cooked for salads, they must keep their shape and some texture, so I recommend against brown or red lentils, which soften and lose their contours too easily. The best lentils to use for salads are deep green lentils from Le Puy in France, the brownish green Pardina variety from Castile and León in Spain, or the speckled green to brown Castelluccio lentils from Umbria in Italy. Some excellent green lentils are also being cultivated in the United States, with Zürsun Idaho Heirloom Beans a good example of a high-quality supplier. I also like black lentils, which are occasionally labeled “beluga” lentils because of their resemblance to caviar.

Some salads are good the day you make them but are better on the second day. Lentil salads are like that. They need time for the flavors to marry, so make them a day ahead of serving. Just remember to bring them to room temperature and adjust the salt if needed before serving. This salad is of Turkish origin, but a similar salad, salata bil adas, is served in Lebanon. For a general Middle Eastern version, replace the mint vinaigrette with a dressing of mild, fruity extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and ground toasted cumin and garnish the salad with tomato wedges, oil-cured black olives,
and crumbled feta.

SERVES 4 TO 6

2 cups green lentils, picked over and rinsed
Salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups diced yellow onion
½ cup peeled and diced carrot
⅓ cup diced celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup Mint Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

In a saucepan, combine the lentils with water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to low and simmer gently until tender but not soft, 20 to 35 minutes. The timing will vary depending on the age of the lentils. After the lentils have simmered for about 15 minutes, add 2 teaspoons salt.

While the lentils are cooking, warm the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two longer. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Drain the lentils, transfer to a bowl, and let cool until warm. Add the onion mixture and toss to combine, then drizzle with the dressing and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature, topped with the cheese.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

INFUSION

¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1¼ cups mild, fruity extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup packed chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon salt

To make the infusion, combine the lemon juice and mint in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and remove from the heat. Let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing against the mint to extract all of the liquid. You should have about ¼ cup. It will no longer be green because of the lemon juice, but it will be intensely minty.

To finish the vinaigrette, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mint, honey, and salt into the infusion. Leftover vinaigrette can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Bring to room temperature, then whisk in a little fresh mint and taste for salt and acidity and adjust if needed.

In Italy, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, and the countries of the Arab world, mint dressing is ubiquitous. Starting with an infusion of mint and lemon juice intensifies the mint flavor. This dressing is excellent on spinach salads, bean and grain salads, citrus salads, and on cooked carrots, beets, asparagus, and potatoes, and it can be substituted for the preserved lemon dressing used for the Moroccan lentil salad on page 43. It is also delicious spooned over cooked fish.