They say necessity is the mother of invention – and what better time to come up with new recipes then under a social distancing regime with a limited pantry supply? I’ve started thinking about new dishes that can be easily put together using things everybody has in their cupboards. First off: green lentils and salt-brined pickles. These two ingredients might seem like an odd couple at first, but together they make for unbelievably light, crispy fritters with a pleasantly fresh flavor (my homage to fermentation). They taste the best when sprinkled with a bit of smoked paprika and dipped into a creamy mix of tangy yogurt and grainy French mustard.
Green Lentil & Salt-Brined Pickles Fritters with Grainy Mustard Dip
makes 12
1 cup (190 g) green lentils
1 teaspoon salt + more
250 g salt-brined pickles (4 – 5)
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
rapeseed oil, for frying
freshly ground pepper
smoked paprika
Dip
1 cup (250 g) Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons French mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1. Soak the lentils in 2 cups of water for 8 – 14 hours. It’ll make them easier to blend and digest! Drain the lentils and transfer with 1 teaspoon salt to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Place into a medium bowl.
2. Chop the pickles, and gently pat dry with the paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Transfer to the lentils with onion, garlic, parsley, and marjoram. Mix to combine.
3. Pour enough oil to cover the bottom of a large cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high. Carefully drop 2 tablespoons of batter, then flatten to a pancake with a metal slotted spatula. Fry until deep golden brown on one side, about 3 – 4 minutes. Turn with a spatula and continue to fry until deep golden brown on the other side, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the fritters to a wire rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Season immediately with salt. Repeat with the remaining batter, frying around 4 fritters at a time.
4. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt with French mustard and salt. Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with a bit of freshly ground pepper. Serve with the fritters and smoked paprika.
Tip
You can use another kind of lentils. Red one will work well too.
Share a picture of your dish with me on Instagram tagging #rozkoszny @rozkoszny. Smacznego!
Yours,
Michał
