Warm Lentil Salad - Test 1

1 - I've made this successfully with quinoa, but given the damage quinoa's popularity has caused in the communities it is traditionally found in, I now shy away from this admittedly delicious grain. I know we can easily grow amaranth here, so I'm substituting for this next try. I am also using radish greens instead of spinach. This may be a mistake, I may be better served using arugula, but there you go, I'm going to try anyway. AND... the amaranth was a complete disaster. I couldn't even cook it properly. Everyone seems to agree that it's a 3:1 ratio of water to grain, and I even just used 2.5:1 and it's still a disgusting soupy mess. I wonder, just for my own learning, if cooking it with the usual 2:1 ratio would work?

So I actually made it, this time with barley and that was pretty good. The vinaigrette flavour was barely there, but that may have been because the lentil mix sat in the fridge for several days and absorbed it all. Next time, I will try it fresh but make extra to add if needed.

2 - This was good with the barley and the extra vinaigrette, but didn't hit the 'summer weather' note I want for this recipe, which I feel like I do get with quinoa. I would like to try it again, this time with wheat berries. I suspect the more contained, smooth wheat berry texture will be different from the coarser pearled barley mouth-feel, but will it be summery?

I also wonder if adding a substantial amount of parsley would lighten the experience of the dish.

3 - Wheat berries appear to be the right combination. Chewy texture yet tender, similar in fact to the mouth feel of the lentils. I have not been able to make it fresh and so it languished in the fridge for a few days before I could serve it - therefore I don't know if the dressing needs sprucing or if it was just absorbed and neutralized because it sat around so long.

4 - This definitely must be eaten fresh. The longer it sits the less tang from the vinegar is present. I still haven't tried it with cheese, but this will come soon!

1 cup du Puy lentils

3 cups + 1⅓ cup water

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme
1 cup wheat berries

2 Tbsp + ½ cup olive oil 

1 large onion, diced

2 clove garlic minced
6 to 8 tsps red wine vinegar (about 2 Tbsps)
2 tsps (10g) Dijon mustard 
1 bunch spinach, washed, stemmed and sliced into ribbons (or 125gr of radish leaves or turnip greens)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

OPTIONAL (TRY ½ cup (30gr) chopped parsley leaves)
1 to 2 Tbsps. toasted sesame seeds
Large lettuce leaves

OPTIONAL: Pinches of Chevre or Blue cheese

1. Bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil, add wheat berries and simmer for 30 to 50 minutes.
2. Bring 1⅓ cups of water to a boil, then simmer the lentils, bay leaf and thyme tender, 30 to 40 minutes. All the liquid should be absorbed by the time they’re done (if not just drain off any excess liquid).
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and cook the onion until they're perfectly soft, starting to not only brown but actually caramelize and develop a nice fond (non-stick pans are your enemy for this one).
4. In a small bowl mix the ¼ cup of oil, the vinegar and the Dijon to make the vinaigrette.
5. To the onions, add the garlic and cook for one minute, then deglaze the pan with the vinaigrette. Remove from heat.
6. When the lentils are cooked, drain them and leave them in the pot. Strain any extra liquid from the wheat berries and add to the lentils. Finally, toss in the onion mixture, then put in the raw spinach and put the lid back on. The residual heat of the lentils will steam the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Arrange the lettuce leaves in a crown on a large serving platter (or on individual plates). In concentric circles, arrange the warm quinoa on top of the lettuce, sprinkle the toasted sesame over the quinoa, then add the lentils in the middle.
8. Serve warm.
9. OPTIONAL - add pinches of blue cheese or chèvre cheese on top.