Marinated Lentil and Kale Salad

Well, it has been a while since my last post. Now that autumn is upon us, I will be making lots of soups as well as dishes with various grains and veggies. This particular lentil and kale recipe can be eaten warm or cold (I prefer warm). I slightly modified the recipe from the cookbook, The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, by Donna Klein.

Marinated Lentil and Kale Salad

Ingredients (Serves 4):
2 Tb olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped (set aside 3 Tbsp to add later)
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup French lentils
3 parsley sprigs
1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence
1 bay leaf
1 bunch lacinato kale, chopped (remove stems first)
2 Tb red wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp red onion or shallots, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and carrots; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the water, broth, lentils, parsley sprigs, bay leaf, Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (partially covered) until the lentils are tender, approximately 40 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, add the kale to the lentils so it may cook during the last 10 minutes. (Or you can steam the kale separately and add to the lentils after cooking). Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. Transfer lentils to a bowl. Remove and discard the parsley and the bay leaf.

In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tbsp olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper, then add to the lentils, along with the 3 Tbsp red onion or shallots and parsley. Combine. Feel free to eat the salad warm or let the flavors marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.