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Recipes

Cold Lentil Salad with Curry chicken sausage

Serves: 4-6

This simple cold salad presents beautifully for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

For Dressing:

  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons grain mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper 
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ⅔ cup olive oil
  • ¾ cup fresh parsley, finely minced
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves, finely minced

For Salad

  • 1 ½ cups dry French lentils (or lentils of choice)
  • 3 curry chicken sausages
  • 1 fennel bulb
  • Pea shoots for garnish

 

Preparation

  1. Make the dressing: Place the lemon juice, grain mustard, and spices into a large bowl and whisk to incorporate. Then, while continuously whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil and continue to whisk until oil is emulsified. Stir in the minced herbs. Set aside. (Makes about 1 ½ cups of dressing.)
  2. Place the lentils and 4 cups of water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until lentils are al dente (about 12-15 minutes). NOTE: Do not overcook; lentils should keep their shape and not be mushy. Once done, pour the lentils into a strainer, rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop cooking, and set aside.
  3. Place the sausages and a ⅓ cup of water into a high sided skillet and cover. Turn to medium heat, and allow sausages to cook for 11 minutes. Then uncover, rotate the sausages, recover and cook for an additional 6 minutes. Remove cover and increase heat to medium high and allow sausages to brown for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs. Remove from heat and let sausages sit in the pan with a cover on until ready to use.
  4. Cut off the stalks and fronds of the fennel bulb and, starting on the cut side, use your mandoline or sharp knife to shave the fennel. (Place sliced fennel in a bowl of water if not being used right away.)
  5. Assemble the salad for presentation. Pour the cooled, cooked lentils into a large mixing bowl, add half of the dressing, and stir to fully incorporate. (Add more dressing as desired.) Spread the lentil mixture onto a large serving platter. Slice the sausages into 1” pieces (and remove casings, if desired) then top the lentils with the sausages and shaved fennel. Garnish with pea shoots. Serve with additional dressing on the side.