Monthly Archives: May 2011

Lemony Lentil Patties with Massaged Kale Salad & Le Crueset Giveaway

May 20, 2011 Filled under Light, Quick Weeknight Meals, Shawn's Favorites, Sides, Summer, Vegetarian or Vegan
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I’m sitting at an airport Starbucks right now, waiting for my flight to DC for Eat, Write Retreat. The people sitting behind me keep glancing over like “What is that crazy girl doing with a million pictures of food?” (Hi people reading over my shoulder!) Anyway, it’s going to be a great weekend, and I hope to come home with new skills and fresh inspiration that will help make this blog better. I’m really excited!

I’m also really excited about last night’s dinner – I just couldn’t wait any longer to share it. I really enjoyed the Southwest lentil patties that I created for the lentil challenge that I participated in last year, and I knew that I wanted to do a fresh take on them this year. This time, I put a Moroccan spin on the patties, with lots of lemon zest, cardamom, and za’atar. They had a wonderfully bright flavor and a great falafel-like texture with a crispy exterior and a soft, velvety center. Served over a salad inspired by some gorgeous kale that I picked up at the Schenectady Green Market, this was a light, yet super filling dinner that we both enjoyed immensely.

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For any of you from the Capital Region who love the Troy Market but have never been to the one in Schenectady, I urge you to check it out! It’s on Sundays, which a little inconvenient for me (I like to plan y weekly menu and get my shopping out of the way on Saturday) but I really love it. The atmosphere is more intimate than the Troy market and the produce seems rawer and a little rough around the edges — but in a good way! There are always unique items to be found, like mustard greens, this amazing Russian red kale, and white beets. Whereas I tend to leave the Troy market with tons of prepared foods, I leave the Schenectady market with arms full of fresh produce and tons of inspiration.

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I really wish that I had taken a photo of this kale before I chopped it up — it was stunningly beautiful. It seemed like a shame to cook it, and I remembered the massaged kale salad that I had when I visited Northern Spy Food Company. Chopping up the kale and literally giving it a nice long massage with some salt draws out all of the bitter liquid and allows you to eat it raw. Be sure to start out with lots of kale though — it loses a ton of volume as you massage it. I started with about 3 cups of loosely packed and ended up with about a half cup once it was ready to eat. It was enough for the two of us but definitely don’t plan to have ay left over.
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Lentil and Strawberry Salad with Pepper-Crusted Tuna

May 16, 2011 Filled under Fish and Seafood, Salads, Shawn's Favorites, Sides, Special Occasions, Summer
15 Comments

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When strawberries are in season, I just can’t get enough. Which is probably why my mind immediately went to them as I was dreaming up lentil recipes last weekend. I hesitated for a second, then added the ingredients to my list.
I’ll admit that I was a little apprehensive about how my strawberry and lentil salad with peppered tuna would come out. All of the ingredients seemed like they would work — strawberries, basil, black, pepper and balsamic vinegar are all amazing together — but I couldn’t help worry that the final dish would be a dud. I worried that it would be bland. Boring. Imagining final dish made me drool, but I worried that I wouldn’t be able to translate it into an edible dinner.
I shouldn’t have worried. This dish surpassed even my wildest dreams. Bursting with flavor, it was anything but boring. I couldn’t help but smile as I ate — this meal could easily have made an appearance on a menu at the best restaurant in town. I had seconds of the salad. Shawn had seconds of the salad (which is saying a lot, considering it was undeniably healthy).
I always tell people not to be intimidated by cooking, that if something sounds good it probably will be. And that if it’s not, the worst that will happen is that they’ll end up throwing it out and ordering take-out. That anyone can cook food that is healthy and delicious. I guess I need to take my own advice.
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Click to continue reading and get the recipe for Lentil and Strawberry Salad with Pepper-Crusted Tuna —>

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Lentil and Strawberry Salad with Pepper-Crusted Tuna

Prep time 10 minutes, Total Time 50 minutes.
Serves 2.

  • 1/2 cup Lentils
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 cups Chopped Strawberries (about 8 large berries)
  • 2 Tbs diced Red Onion
  • 1 Lemon, Juiced
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 pinch Sugar
  • 1 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 8 ounce Tuna Steak
  • 2 Tbs crushed Black Pepper*
  • 1 handfull Basil, chiffonade (about 1/4 cup unpacked leaves)

Add lentils and water to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the strawberries, red onion, and lemon juice. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

While the salad cools, prepare the balsamic reduction: Add the vinegar and sugar to a small pan and bring to a boil. Once the vinegar starts to bubble, lower the heat to medium. Cook until the vinegar has reduced to about 2 Tablespoons – this should take about 5 minutes,

Gently press the black pepper into one side of the tuna steak. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the tuna to the pan, peppered side down. Cook 2 minutes. Flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until it reaches your preferred level of doneness.

Stir the basil into the lentil and strawberry salad. Season to taste with black pepper. Top with sliced tuna and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

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Over the next two weeks, I will be participating in the US Dry Pea and Lentil Challenge by posting several gluten-free recipes featuring dry peas and lentils (similar to the Recipe Rivalry challenge I participated in last year!). As a challenge participant, I received a stipend for groceries, samples of US dry peas and lentils, and some cooking supplies from the US Dry Pea and Lentil Council. At the end of the challenge, there will be an opportunity for you to help me win a prize — and to win a prize of your own. I was not compensated in any other way for this post. As always, all opinions are my own and all recipes are original.

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I’m submitting this post to Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen