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Black Lentil Fennel Salad with Tangerine Vinaigrette - CaliZona

Approx. 6 – 8 side dishes

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Dried Black Lentils
  • 6 Cups Filtered Water
  • 1 Cup or whole Recipe Tangerine Champagne Vinaigrette recipe below
  • 1 Fennel Bulb – core removed – quartered – thinly sliced
  • 1/2 Cup Fennel Stalks – thinly sliced
  • 1 Orange Bell Pepper – diced
  • 1 Clove Garlic – minced
  • 3/4 Cup Aged Asiago Cheese optional, you might need to add some salt

Tangerine Vinaigrette

  • 2/3 Cup Fresh Squeezed Tangerine Juice
  • 1 Teaspoon Tangerine Zest optional
  • 1/4 Cup Champagne Vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Shallots or 1/4 Cup
  • 2 Small Cloves Garlic or 2 Teaspoons
  • 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
  • Dash Black Pepper

Instructions

Lentils

  1. Sort the lentils to make sure there are no rocks then rinse and drain.
  2. Add the lentils and water to a medium pot, bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low and simmer.
  3. Cook for 15 minutes, you don’t want them too soft or they will be mushy.
  4. While the lentils are cooking start the vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette

  1. Add mustard, tangerine juice, zest, salt and pepper to a medium bowl and whisk together.
  2. Next whisk in the champagne vinegar, then slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Stir in the garlic and shallots.

Assembly

  1. When the lentils are finished cooking, drain into a mesh colander and rinse to help cool them down. Cool to room temperature.
  2. Stir in the dressing (I add the whole recipe because I like the extra flavor and I don’t mind the extra liquid.  If you want you can add less.)
  3. Mince the garlic and add to lentils.
  4. Cut the stalks off the fennel and cut in half then cut out the core. Cut each half in half and slice as thin as you can then add to the lentils.
  5. Cut bell peppers in half then cut out the core, dice and add to the lentils.
  6. Grate the Asiago with the fine holes on a grater, add and stir well.