Black Lentils and Wild Garlic Pesto
I love to cook in season ingredients as much as I can. I get super excited at this time of year where every week we find new products. My favourite is Wild Garlic, very short season but very intense. If you are lucky to live near a forest you can forage it for free. In this salad I put it together with my beloved black beluga lentils and the first radish of the season. It’s super aromatic, fresh, crunchy and hearty. When you try the first mouthful you know that spring is here.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Black Beluga Lentils
- 12 leaves Cavolo Nero
- 1 Lemon (zest and juice)
- 1 bunch Radish
- 2 Tbsp Sunflower seeds
- 1 Tbsp Pumpkin seeds
- 1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by making the Wild Garlic Pesto
- Rinse the lentils with running water and cook them in plenty of water for 20 mins. Wash the kale and cut the middle core with a knife, repeat for all the leaves.
- Cut the stalks very finely. They are full of fibre and vitamins. They are also full of flavour and will add another texture to the dish.
- Bring together the chopped kale and stalks with a pinch of salt flakes. Add zest and juice of the lemon and massage with your hands for a few minutes.
- Slice the radish in 8 little moons or as you prefer. Drain the Lentils and rinse them with cold water. Set aside in a colander and let them drain the remaining water for 5 mins.
- Dry roast the pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a pan for a few minutes. Start layering the salad with the Kale, Lentils and radish. Spread the hemp, pumpkin and sunflower seeds on top.
- Mix together 4 Tbsp of the Wild Garlic Pesto with 1Tbsp of extra virgin Olive Oil. Add a splash of water to thin the dressing if needed. Spread the dressing in the top and mix to coat.
Notes
Wild Garlic season is in the sprint, if you can't find it or are out of season you can substitute with Basil, Parsley or Coriander.