In an Irish Home

Strictly speaking, we are not vegetarian in our Irish home. I am, however, a big believer in plant based+healthy+simple eating, so I serve a lot of meals with beans, lentils and/or vegetables as the main ingredient.

Over the years, this Puy Lentil Salad with Grilled Vegetables has become one of my go-to recipes. It’s easy to make, my family like it a lot, and it’s gorgeous enough to serve at a casual dinner party.

What’s more, if I double up the entire recipe, I can freeze half the lentils for another meal and keep half the veggies in the fridge for salads and sandwiches during the week!

If you’re not up for grilling outdoors, a cast iron grill pan on the hob {stove} works well too. And, don’t be frightened by the long list of ingredients: they don’t make for much work in the kitchen. Enjoy!

Puy Lentil Salad with Grilled Vegetables

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 x aubergine (eggplant), rinsed and cut into strips

1 x courgette (zucchini), washed and cut into rounds or strips

1 x red pepper, rinsed and cut into strips

a handful of green beans, rinsed

1 x yellow onion, cut into strips

1 x yellow onion, chopped (for cooking with the lentils)

350g/1-1/3 cup Puy lentils, washed but not soaked

1 bay leaf

1 whole clove

1 carrot, diced

few sprigs of thyme

2 garlic cloves, peeled

600ml/2 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon sugar

lettuce leaves (preferably something deep green or purple), rinsed

olive oil for drizzling

250ml/8oz/1 cup olive oil (for dressing)

125ml/4oz/½ cup balsamic vinegar (for dressing)

salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese shavings, as desired

Directions for Lentils

1. Place lentils in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, drain and rinse under cold water.

2. Return lentils to the saucepan and add chopped onion, bay leaf, clove, carrot, thyme, garlic, chicken stock and sugar. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes, adding water if necessary.

3. Drain lentils, if necessary. Discard bay leaf, clove, thyme and garlic. Season with black pepper and keep warm until ready to serve.

Directions for Vegetables

1. Drizzle vegetables in olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Heat up the grill. Cook vegetables over medium heat to your preferred doneness.

3. When done, turn off the heat and keep vegetables warm until ready to serve.

Directions for Dressing

1. In a jar with a tight fitting lid, mix the olive oil with balsamic vinegar, add salt and pepper to taste. Adjust, if necessary, to your own preference.

Salad Assembly

1. Put a few large leaves of lettuce on a platter.

2. Spoon lentils onto the lettuce, leaving a decorative edge on display.

3. Place the grilled vegetables over top of the lentils.

4. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

5. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Additional Notes, Related Articles & Credit:

* If you want to add meat, grilled, sliced steak is wonderful with this salad. Or if you’d like to try another Irish lentil dish, check-out this Avoca Handweaver Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew recipe.

** I use Ikea’s Förtrolig clear glass food containers for freezing extra lentils and storing extra grilled veggies in the fridge.

*** Are lentils a superfood? Martha Stewart says “Yes”!

**** Here’s an article saying why we should eat more lentils…from US News & World Report

***** And, finally, here’s everything you ever wanted to know about lentils from tasteinsight.com