Puy lentil and giant couscous salad

I love lentils! I love the way they taste, the way they are so accommodating in so many different recipes, but most of all I love that they are a complex food which takes our bodies a long time to break down. This is good because it means the simple sugar all our food gets broken down to, happens in a more considered, slower way so we don’t get a sugar rush. It is then a low glycemic food.

There are many types of lentils. This recipe uses puy lentils which are French and small and sometimes called “black” lentils. They are denser and have a nuttier flavour than the more common ones called “green.”

 

Green lentils are readily found in St. Lucia as are the red variety. I’ve never seen puy here, but I brought these back with me from London last trip. This salad is unsuitable for the red lentils which are best added to liquid-y situations where they mush down and add thickness as well as their flavour.

Serves 6 as a side, 4 as a main

150g (1 c) giant wholewheat couscous

185g (1 c) puy lentils (or other variety neurontin buy online except red)

The vinaigrette

100ml extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (use white wine or citrus juice)

2 lg salad onions finely chopped

salt and pepper

bunch parsley chopped.

Bring some salted water to the boil and cook the couscous until tender. At the same time cook the lentils in another saucepan without needing to boil the water first. Do not salt the lentil water as this slows the process of them cooking. If you are using the green or brown lentils, do not let them overcook as this can easily happen and then you will have a mushy salad instead of the fine upstanding thing pictured above.When they are both cooked, drain, salt the lentils and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, simply add all the remaining ingredients except the parsley and mix thoroughly.

Once the couscous and lentils have cooled slightly, tip in the vinaigrette and stir until you are sure everything has been well coated. Check the seasoning and then sprinkle over the chopped parsley. This can be eaten hot or cold, in fact we had it both ways. First with fish that evening and then the next day with a tossed green salad.