It’s always a pleasure to get a cookbook, make several recipes, and have all of them be fantastic. It’s even more of a thrill when you know the author. I featured Emily Paster’s new cookbook on The Blue and Yellow Kitchen, Instantly Mediterranean, with recipes designed for the Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) and air fryer. I’m always looking for new Instant Pot recipes, and I have loved every dish I’ve tried from the Mediterranean region. I especially appreciate that Paster includes recipes representing the breadth of cuisines, from Spain to Morocco and nearly every one of the 20 countries bordering the Mediterranean. As she mentions, lentils are packed with nutrition and eaten in most every country in the world, but are highly under-rated here in the U.S. She loves making them in the electric pressure cooker because it’s fool-proof. I love how rich and hearty this French lentil salad is, and how the flavor just continues to deepen in the fridge.
This salad is suitable for a wide range of special diets, but will not work for people following my book The Migraine Relief Plan because of the lentils, onion, and nuts. Watch the full episode below.
French lentil soup with toasted walnuts and crumbled feta
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 onions small red, finely diced
- 2 carrots peeled and finely diced
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- 1-1/2 cups lentils preferably French green
- 3 cups chicken stock (low-sodium) use vegetable stock to make this vegetarian/vegan
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 clove garlic smashed and peeled
- 1 cup walnuts lightly toasted and chopped (can omit or serve on the side for people with nut allergies)
- 1 lemons juiced
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled (omit for vegan version)
- 1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley (fresh) minced
Dressing
- 1 shallots finely minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 tsp kosher salt use less if watching your sodium
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil into the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker. Select the Saute function and set the heat level to "Normal." When the oil is shimmering, after about 2 minutes, add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables to a large serving bowl and set aside. Press Cancel to turn off the Saute function.
- Add the lentils, broth, bay leaf, and garlic. Close the lid and make sure the pressure release valve is closed. Select the Pressure Cook function and set the cooking time to 9 minutes at high pressure.
- Make the dressing: In a small bown, whisk together the shallot, mustard, and vinegar. While whisking, slowly add the oil in a steady stream and continue whisking until emulsified. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
- When the cooking program is complete, release the pressure manually and remove the lid. Drain the lentils, discarding the bay leaf, and add them to the bowl with the cooked vegetables. Add the dressing to the lentils while they are still warm and stir to combine.
- Let the lentils cool to room temperature before adding the walnuts, lemon juice, feta, and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve at room temperature.
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