Zucchini, & Beluga Lentil Salad

Potato Dumpling Society- June 2024

Marinated blistered zucchini, shallots, oregano, and Beluga Lentil Salad

I don’t know how many of you feel this way, but every time I eat lentils, I ask myself why I don’t eat lentils more often! They are the ultimate in satisfaction- umami, al dente texture, earthy, and can take on whatever brightness you throw on them. And, they really do make the ideal base for a picnic salad.

I cooked these Beluga Lentils (aka Black Lentils) simply in salted water with a couple of crushed garlic cloves. You can follow the cooking and serving size instructions on your package, cook them in stock if you want, add sautéed shallots or scallions, or just keep it simple. Since we’re adding a fairly assertive vinaigrette, I opted for keeping it simple. Cook your lentils according to the package directions. And be sure to taste them when they’re done. They should hold their texture and not fall apart, but also not be so hard that they stick in your teeth.

For portioning purposes, I would just cook the enti…