Lentil Salad

This dish was inspired by a tasty lunch I recently had in Athens, Greece. It was light, healthy, and packed with flavor. Prep time is about 10 minutes (depending on your lentils). This recipe makes two nice-sized (entree-sized) portions. You can also double or triple the recipe, make it, refrigerate, and bring to your Sunday tailgate!

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil
Water
Black pepper
Sea or kosher salt
6 large cherry tomatoes, diced
Flat lead parsley
Anchovies
Pecorino Romano cheese
White wine or rice wine vinegar
1 cup dried French lentils*

*Before preparing salad, fill a medium-sized pot about halfway with water and add the lentils. Bring to a boil. Once the pot is boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 35–40 minutes until the lentils are soft and then drain. (You can also buy canned lentils that are ready to go)!

Preparation

In a blender, combine 1/4 cup of olive oil, a splash of water, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, a handfull of parsley leaves, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Blend until the parsley leaves are pretty chopped down and your liquids are emulsified.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, dressing from the blender, and lentils. Stir well so the lentils are coated.

Plate the dressed lentils and tomatoes, topping with some shaved pecorino and a few anchovy filets. Garnish with additional parsley and serve!