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Gerlinde's Versatile Lentil Salad

4/13/2015

40 Comments

 

Why Do We Cook?

Lentil Salad with boiled eggs
Why do we cook? We have to eat of course, but we don’t necessarily have to cook to do so. Today, we have many options including eating out at restaurants or bringing prepared food home. One of the questions I often ask people is, “Do you cook?” Many times, the answer is,”not really!” I ask that question because I love to talk about food and cooking. It’s almost an obsession. I ask questions, I snoop around cooking blogs, I go directly to the food section in magazines and so on. I relish food with my senses by smelling it and enjoying the different flavors. I know I’ve come across something special when the flavors explode in my mouth and create a sensation of pure pleasure. That is what happened several weeks ago at my little cabin in the woods.
Pinecrest Lake
Pinecrest Lake
Rack of lamb with lentil salad
My sister-in-law and her family came over for dinner. My husband grilled a beautiful rack of lamb and some small white creamer potatoes on the side. He does this to perfection and everybody loves it. He slices the rack into paired ribs and generously coats them with pepper and garlic salt. He puts them on a gas grill on medium heat and pays attention so they do not burn. He serves them medium rare. Sometimes, depending on the ribs, he trims the excess fat. He precooks his potatoes in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes depending on the number of potatoes. The potatoes go in a bowl with olive oil and garlic salt. You want to have a good coating of olive oil on all the potatoes. Then he puts them on the upper grill and cooks them with the meat until they are soft. He coats the potatoes during the grilling with leftover olive oil. He sits outdoors next to his barbecue, enjoying a scotch, watching his food cook as I busy myself in the kitchen.

On this particular night, I roasted some fresh asparagus coated with walnut oil sprinkled with sea salt in a preheated oven at 375˙degrees for about 8 minutes. The cabin is at a 6000-foot elevation, so the cooking time increases. I made my citrus vinaigrette for my green salad and pulled out my sauces and condiments that everybody loves with the lamb. Mint jelly is a must, however, my mountain fridge had some wonderful treasures—like the cranberry ketchup I made for our Christmas dinner and never used, and my green sauce that I made a couple of days before to go with salmon cakes. This green sauce had more garlic than normal and was mostly yogurt with some chives. We had a great dinner, and the wine and conversation was flowing. Everybody seemed to enjoy the food. I covered my little creamy potatoes and pieces of lamb with the different sauces—and it was divine. Some of the little lentils from my lentil salad were swimming in the sauce–and oh what flavor! Every bite brought more joy. 
Picture
Picture
Earlier that day, I made a lentil salad to go along with the feast. I have made lentil salad many times and it never turns out the same. There is a wonderful recipe from Regina Schrambling on the Wednesdaychef blog that I sometimes make. It uses leeks, hazelnuts and duck confit. Most of the time, I just make a simple vinaigrette that I pour over the warm lentils for a delicious salad that I can eat for days to come. This time, I cooked some carrots with my lentils and added some celery and to the finished salad. When I eat the salad by itself I like to add either goat or feta cheese. 
Lentil Salad with Goat cheese
preview recipe
40 Comments
Penny link
4/13/2015 02:24:08 am

I, too, love to equally cook, talk about cooking, and eat. :) I have a dear friend who shares this cooking obsession, and we can go at it for hours. I roast my asparagus as well, Gerlinde, but, with olive oil. Now I need to give some walnut oil a try. We just had some last night with a leg of lamb and potatoes - now, for the leftovers, you have me "a-thinking".
Such a delicious posting. Thank you.

Reply
Gerlinde
4/13/2015 02:56:27 am

Walnut or hazelnut oil is fantastic but it does get rancid quickly and it is expensive. Good olive oil will be just fine. Have a great day!

Reply
Suzanne link
4/13/2015 04:24:44 am

The rack of lamb and potatoes sound delicious as does your gorgeous lentil salad. What a feast at such a beautiful location. Sounds heavenly,

Reply
Gerlinde
4/13/2015 08:40:12 am

I love my little cabin in the woods and yes, it is heavenly. The lentil salad goes well with my green sauce that looks like a white sauce in the picture. I love the combo.

Reply
Kay link
4/13/2015 04:29:35 am

I love to cook too … so many things I do, where I travel to, where I meet up with people, what I think about, what I talk about, are connected to food. Your meal sounds wonderful and in such a gorgeous setting.

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Gerlinde
4/13/2015 08:43:41 am

Food has a universal language and it does connects you with people.

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Cecile @ My Yellow Farmhouse link
4/13/2015 05:01:31 am

I love lentils - these recipe looks delicious!! And I love the photo of your Sunny Cove !!

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Gerlinde
4/13/2015 08:47:56 am

Thank you Cecile for visiting my blog.

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Deb|EastofEdenCooking link
4/13/2015 05:30:40 am

Such a scrumptious feast! I love that the lentil salad can be made ahead. We all need great recipes that are just as wonderful the next day. Thank you for sharing a favorite Gerlinde.

Reply
Gerlinde
4/13/2015 08:49:36 am

Thanks Deb, the lentil salad can last for days. It makes a nice snack.

Reply
Allison Blansit
4/13/2015 10:11:08 am

great posting, Gerlinde! It was a wonderful meal with wonderful company. Will try the lentil salad this summer.

Reply
Gerlinde
4/13/2015 12:08:42 pm

We have to do it again. I really like my green sauce with the lentil salad and you can add a sausage for Lonnie.

Reply
Traveling Rockhopper link
4/13/2015 03:59:36 pm

yeah, we love cooking, and eating :)

Reply
Gerlinde
4/14/2015 12:59:37 am

I love it too!

Reply
Ann link
4/13/2015 05:44:25 pm

Unpretentious but delicious food, good company and a wonderful setting. Does life get any better? I'd rather sit by a barbecue next to a lake than in the swankiest restaurant.

Reply
Gerlinde
4/14/2015 12:57:34 am

Life is good when I'm in my cabin in the woods. Thank you Ann!

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EllaDee link
4/14/2015 02:05:59 pm

You're in good company... food is one of my sanity savers (unless I'm busy, in which case having to get sometimne on the table drives me crazy!) I love to research, dream and experiment but you take much better photographs than I do :)

Reply
Gerlinde
4/15/2015 02:11:04 am

EllaDee, thanks for the compliment, I only made snapshots until I started my blog. I have friends helping me all the time and I enjoy taking pictures. You are a talented writer !

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Sabine link
4/17/2015 02:12:58 pm

I love lentil salad, too, and right, mine also is a bit different mostly. I love to add avocado and red pepper. I can imagine it was a perfect match with the lamb. Please tell your husband I adore him for this lamb rack, I cannot tell you how much I love grilled lamb!

Reply
Gerlinde
4/18/2015 12:37:05 am

Avocados and peppers are a great addition to the salad. My favorite one right now is my garlicky green sauce. My husband thanks you for the compliment.

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Maureen link
4/17/2015 05:51:19 pm

Years ago I would have said I had friends who didn't cook but since I became a food blogger, my close friends all seem to share my love of cooking and eating good food. Or I'm just old. I think your dinner sounds fab!

Reply
Gerlinde
4/18/2015 12:43:14 am

Maureen, thanks for the compliment. I'm probably older than you but who is counting. As much as I love cooking I also enjoy other people's food.

Reply
Maureen link
4/22/2015 05:53:40 pm

LOL I'd put money on me winning. :)

Karen (Back Road Journal) link
4/20/2015 07:03:29 am

Your meal does indeed sound like a delicious feast. I wish I could have been a guest at your table…I'm those that were enjoyed themselves very much.

Reply
Gerlinde
4/20/2015 09:34:41 am

I would love to have you for dinner. It would be fun!

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nancy at good food matters link
4/20/2015 11:18:58 pm

HI Gerlinde, such a nice post about sharing a great meal with loved ones. Grilled lamb, served medium rare, is one of my favorites. And lentils in any form are delicious and healthful. Your lentil salad looks great. I don't use walnut oil too often, even though I love its taste and silken texture. I don't use it up in time!

Reply
sunnycovechef.com@gmail.com
4/21/2015 03:08:15 am

Thank you Nancy for your kind comment. I bought a real small bottle of walnut oil
and hope to use it up before it gets rancid.

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ThekitchenLioness
4/21/2015 04:48:26 am

Gerlinde, so now I am jealous of a little cabin at a lovely lake - that is something I would really enjoy - love water, the peace and quiet and making dinner for friends sounds like a wonderful way to spend time. Everything on that plate looks delicious and (as you know) we love lentils - even had lentil soup for lunch today - and also walnut oil is one of my very favorite oils to use in salad dressing - great recipe and fabulosu pictures!
Viele liebe Grüsse aus dem sehr sonnigen Bonn - habe eben Kirschbäume in der Altstadt fotografiert, wunderschön, aber leider nicht von Dauer,
Andrea

Reply
sunnycovechef.com@gmail.com
4/21/2015 05:00:55 am

Vielen Dank Andrea, Kirschenblüten in der Altstadt, wie schön! Ich war noch nie in Bonn.
The cabin is nice but the lake is very busy in the summer. I like it during the off seasons when they are few people around.

Reply
Bam's Kitchen link
4/23/2015 02:35:05 pm

I could have made a complete meal just out of your lentil salad. Great little recipe.

Reply
Gerlinde
4/23/2015 05:53:28 pm

I enjoy a good lentil salad with a little bit of protein like goat cheese or whatever is in the fridge.

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sippity sup link
5/6/2015 01:57:41 am

It doesn’t matter what the occasion is. I think the cook’s first job is to delight. The secret is that by delighting others we also delight ourselves! These delightful lentils are the perfect example. GREG

Reply
Gerlinde
5/6/2015 03:29:51 am

Thank you Greg, we have to delight ourselves and others. Cooking is so much fun. I just checked out your website and it is great.

Reply
grace link
5/17/2015 09:52:23 pm

i'm so used to seeing lentils in soup and only soup, it's refreshing to see something different!

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Gerlinde
7/24/2017 09:30:31 am

I always enjoy a good lentil soup. It is so comforting.

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torythomas
10/7/2017 09:21:16 pm

Best salad ever! Had the pleasure to eat at Gerlinde's and Willie's! What a treat! The lentil salad is to die for---And Willie, thank you for the great BBQ'd rack of lamb. Oh my gosh you two!

Reply
Gerlinde
10/13/2017 06:50:32 am

Thank you Tory, I had a wonderful weekend, let’s do it again soon.

Reply
Mark Wise
10/8/2017 08:38:10 am

My first time to this blog and my first time eating this amazing salad. The salad's complex flavors really do rejoice as you take your first bites but when the creamy texture of the goat cheese mixes with the lentils....let's just put it this way...I did not have 2nds....I had 3rds...super yummy in my tummy!

Reply
Gerlinde
10/13/2017 06:48:19 am

Mark, can you become my writer for this blog?

Reply
Gloria link
12/1/2019 06:52:31 pm

I love to Cook an bake and I do t think so mucho. Maybe is forma my momo she cooked amazing and we loved all she made.The funky is now my tenis love to Cook and all good is importante for them (the have 25) and maybe is all in family is about food.
Esperanza always says looks these apricots and these cherries :)
And I love your salad we love lentils !
Take care :)

Reply



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