Puy lentil and pepper salad
Puy lentils are a green lentil variety cultivated in the Le Puy region in France. Green lentils contain more fibre than pink or red lentils, but you may substitute for any variety. With about 30% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp. The cooking time indicated should produce tender but al dente Puy lentils that hold their shape. If substituting for other lentils, follow the cooking time indicated on the packet.
Ingredients
- 100 gr. Puy lentils
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bay leave
- 1 sprig of thyme
- ½ red pepper
- ½ green pepper
- 1 medium spring onion
- Handful of fresh coriander or parsley
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils and place in a large saucepan with the bay leave, bruised garlic, and thyme. Cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes or until tender (add more water if you need to).
- Meanwhile dice the peppers, slice the spring onion and coarsely chop the coriander and/or parsley.
- To make the dressing, mix the olive oil, balsamic and cumin in a bowl and whisk, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- When the lentils are tender, drain them and mix with the peppers, spring onion and chopped herbs, pour over the dressing and serve.
Notes
To up the calorie content: serving this salad with a large pita bread will add an additional 165 calories principally from carbohydrates.
Garlic: When crushed, garlic yields allicin, an antibiotic and antifungal compound that gives this smelly bulbous herb its reputation as a remedy for the common cold, chest infections, digestive disorders, and fungal infections. In extreme quantities, garlic can have some negative side effects (including smell!) and some people suffer from allergies or intolerance to garlic and other plants in the allium genus, including onions, chives, leeks and shallots.