A very refreshing, vegetarian lunch dish.
By Natalie
Recently we looked at the Recipes from a Greek Island cookbook as a part of our vintage cookbook TBT feature.
This recipe, while it was not featured in that installment, has been adapted from one in the book. Here a couple of ingredients have been changed and pasta added to make a very refreshing, vegetarian lunch dish.
Ingredients:
3 cups dried brown or green lentils
few stalks of asparagus
2-3 garlic cloves
1 finely chopped onion handful of garlic chives
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
salt to taste
pinch of baking soda
4 cups cooked penne pasta
Clean the lentils. Cover the lentils in a saucepan adding the baking soda and boil for 10 minutes.
Drain and rinse, then return to the pan with fresh water. Bring to a boil, add the garlic, and cook for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are tender.
Drain the lentils and stir into them the olive oil, vinegar, chopped garlic chives, chopped asparagus and spices.
While cooking the lentils, prepare the pasta separately. Cook to el dente and toss with some olive oil and salt. (While the pasta is cooking blanch the garlic chives and asparagus if using)
This makes a generous portion of lentils. Serve the pasta either tossed with the lentils or with the lentils spooned over top. If you want you can garnish with some freshly chopped parsley or mint. It also goes nicely with a squirt of lemon and some fresh vegetables, such as cucumber and sweet peppers, on the side.
Delightful on a hot summer day with a chilled glass of rose.
Enjoy.
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