Lentils folded in yogurt, spinach and basil recipe – Rancho Gordo

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Peter Millers Lunch at the Shop: The Art and Practice of Lunch is a favorite book of mine. Peter owns a famous architecture bookstore in Seattle and knows the value of a good meal. A typical work day is no excuse for bad food. Peter is also a “bean person” and has many recipes that take advantage of good legumes. He quickly said yes when I asked him if he would share his lentil recipe from his book. His new title is Five ways to cook asparagus (and other recipes).(Abrams, 2018), and my example is already splattered and worn, a good indication of its value.

  • ½ cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup cooked Rancho Gordo black caviar lentils or French-style Rancho Gordo green lentils
  • 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1½ lemons
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, sliced

Served 4

  1. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pine nuts or walnuts and cook until lightly toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Set them on a wooden board to cool, then roughly cut them to the size of the lentils.
  2. When your knife is sharp enough to cut through the spinach and basil leaves without injuring them, carefully cut them into bite-sized pieces. Otherwise, tear them off by hand.
  3. Place the lentils in a bowl and mix in the spinach, basil, parsley and garlic. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the lentils, mix and then fold in the yoghurt. Mix again, then slowly pour in the oil, stirring to combine. At this point, taste the mixture and season with salt and 2 good-quality peppercorns. Finally, put the roasted nuts under the bowl and season with a little oil. The dish is now ready to serve.
  4. The lentils and vegetables will keep in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for at least 3 days. Bring the lentils and vegetables to room temperature before serving. You can go on a slice of buttered (and maybe grilled) bread or on a lettuce leaf as a salad. Garnish the lentils with a squeeze of lemon juice, some parmesan and a final pinch of fresh pepper.

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