Ingredients
1½cupsblack beluga lentils
1bay leaf
½tspfine sea salt
2cupscarrots,peeled, grated
¾cupfresh flat-leaf parsley
⅓ozfresh dill leaves,¼ cup, tough stems removed, torn into small pieces
½cupcelery,about 2 ribs, chopped
½cupgreen onion,thinly sliced
½cuppepperoncini pepper,pickled, chopped
½cuphavarti,havarti dill, or mild cheddar, or crumbled feta, optional
⅓cupextra-virgin olive oil
¼cuplemon juice
⅓ozfresh dill leaves,¼ cup, tough stems removed
2tbsptahini
1garlic clove,roughly chopped
½tspfine sea salt,or to taste
½tspred pepper flakes,to taste, optional
freshly ground black pepper,to taste
Preparation
Fill a medium-to-large saucepan with water, leaving several inches of room at the top. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Sort through the lentils for debris, then rinse in a fine-mesh sieve under running water until the water runs clear. Set aside.
Once the water is boiling, add the rinsed lentils. Add the bay leaf and salt.
Set the timer for 16 minutes, then reduce the heat as necessary to prevent overflow and to maintain a lively simmer.
Once the timer has gone off, use a fork to scoop out a few lentils and test for doneness.
If the lentils aren’t fully cooked yet, retest every 1 to 2 minutes until they are. Once cooked, strain off all the excess water.
In a food processor, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, dill, tahini, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and several twists of black pepper.
Blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Set aside.
Pour the lentils into a medium serving bowl, then discard the bay leaf.
Pour in all of the dressing, then stir to combine. Add the grated carrots, parsley, the remaining dill, celery, green onion, and pepperoncini peppers.
Wait to add the optional cheese until the lentils are just warm to not melt the cheese.
Stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt, red pepper flakes, and/or black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon more of lemon juice or chopped pepperoncini, as needed.
Serve, and enjoy!
