Paired with a Pale Ale
Yay! Happy Friday! I feel like the last few weeks have flown by. This is super weird because before that, time was seriously dragging. It has been a super long winter. I can’t believe I’m saying this because I am the exact definition of a “snow bunny.” I love snow. I love the cold, but it has been suchhhhhhhhhhh a long winter. I’m so ready for the beautiful summer we have here. I’m ready to get off the treadmill and actually run outside. I’m so ready to be done hibernating.
More than anything though, I’m ready for fresh produce. Now, I know that peach season is months and months and MONTHS away, but I needed ONE peach for a recipe I wrote laste week. If you were wondering, NO ONE HAS PEACHES. Even if it is the off-season, at least you can find one variety of peach. Nope. Not in this town. I literally had to drive to Colorado for a completely out-of-season, terrible, not-so-ripe peach. ONE PEACH. Luckily the rest of the recipe made up for the peach.
Case in point, I am ready for summer…
At least you can find lentils and lamb all year round, so here we are, and we will have to wait for fresh produce just a little bit longer. Zach and I eat this lamb and lentil salad often. We especially eat it this time of year and we usually have it served alongside our favorite soups. It’s really a simple and quick delicious little side dish, and I LOVE it on naan. It’s also ready in under 30 minutes and requires almost no work at all. It’s a great make-ahead meal, and is even better served the next day for lunch. If you’re into Mediterranean flavors and ingredients, this lamb and lentil salad is calling your name.
I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Pair it with a pale ale. It will really calm down the spiciness from the raw jalapeno. Enjoy!
Yields 4
5 minPrep Time
12 minCook Time
17 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 pound ground lamb
- salt and black pepper
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 cup dried lentils (cooked per manufacturer's instructions)
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1 small jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- zest from 1 lemon
- juice from 1 lemon
- Serve with: plain Greek yogurt, drizzle of olive oil, naan, pita, or flatbread.
Instructions
- In a large non stick skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the lamb and season with salt and black pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until the lamb is brown and cooked through. Remove the lamb from the transfer to a plate that has been lined with a paper towel. Leave the heat on.
- Add more oil if needed, and add the shallot, garlic, crushed red pepper, cumin, coriander and a dash of salt and black pepper. Cook until fragrant and the shallot is slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Stir the lamb back in and add the lentils. Toss and then remove from heat. Transfer the lamb and lentil mixture to the bowl.
- To the bowl, also add the cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Toss to combine and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Serve the lamb and lentil salad immediately with a drizzle of olive oil, a dollop of yogurt and naan. Enjoy!
