Lentil & dried apricot warm salad
I really like apricots. It’s a pity that the truly good fresh ones are so hard to find , even at the peak of their season. It appears to me that most of the time what you get at the market is either stone-hard and sour, or mushy and tasteless. On the other hand, dried apricots are always good and available. Not too sweet and sticky like dates or prunes, not too dry and grainy like figs, dried apricots are perfectly chewy and aromatic, sweet and sour.
While I’m currently developing a sort of fancy style completely plant-based dessert with dried apricots, I kept a few to make this warm lentil salad, which I lightly adapted from a recipe from the book “Grains, Pasta & Pulses”, from Time Life’s “The Good Cook Collection”.
Lentil & dried apricot warm salad
1 tbsp olive oil + a drizzle on top before serving
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
5 dried apricots (about 50g), previously soaked for 15 min and diced
Small bunch of parsley (about 25g), leaves and stalks separated and finely chopped
2 cups Puy lentils, cooked
1/4 cup walnuts, roasted and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the shallots and celery stalk and sautée over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes. Add the apricot and the chopped parsley stalks, and keep stiring and frying for another minute or so. Add the lentils and heat them until they're warmed through. Remove from heat, add the chopped walnuts and parsley leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.