Greek Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Greek Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Chef Elena Paravantes Hargitt

Ingredients

1 cup dry lentils
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cup of cherry tomatoes
1 orange (or grapefruit) cut in chunks
½ diced onion
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar (you can also use lemon instead)
salt and pepper as needed

Instructions

Category: entree, side, salad

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, Vegan

Author: OliveTomato.com

Yield: 2-4

Serving Size: 1 cup

This salad is inspired by a lentil salad offered in various seaside places in Mykonos and other islands. Recently my friend Monica raved about a lentil salad she had on the island. It sounded delicious and I wanted to have it too (even though I am not on a Greek island). I experimented and this is the result: a vibrant and colorful salad bursting with different flavors. The key here is to use the freshest and best quality ingredients, this is important especially with simple recipes. At home, we generally eat a lot of big hearty salads and one of the ingredients we place a lot of attention to is the dressing, and mainly the olive oil. If the olive oil has an off taste or is old (and rancid) it will ruin your salad no matter how great all the other ingredients are.

We had this salad the next day and it was so good! Letting it sit overnight basically marinates it. It was a hot night so this was just right for the occasion and filling. This salad is also very versatile, this is the basic vegan version but you can also add crumbled feta or tuna for additional protein and it is gluten free for those of you who may have an intolerance. Nutritionally this salad is a great source of protein, fiber, antioxidants and slow release carbohydrates keeping your blood sugar stable and keeping you full longer. This salad is good to take with you at work or for picnics and it will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

In a medium pot add the lentils, 2-3 cups water, the garlic clove cut in half and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil and than reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes until soft (but not mushy). Add water as needed. Drain and remove bay leaf and garlic and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, dice the onion, cut the orange in bite size pieces and chop the parsley. Add all the vegetables, fruit and parsley to the lentils and toss gently.
Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil and vinegar with a dash of salt and pepper.
Add dressing to salad. Mix gently, cover with plastic wrap and let the salad chill (overnight preferably).
When ready to serve drizzle a bit of olive oil and add salt and pepper as needed.

From Elena Paravantes Blog OLIVE TOMATO www.olivetomato.com