The lentil, one of man's most ancient foods and grown in many varieties, has long been used in Europe and Africa to make flavorful salads. Extremely nutritious and inexpensive, lentils are generally well seasoned with piquant flavorings. Some Ethiopians prefer yogurt instead of oil and vinegar as a dressing for lentil salad.
What You Need:
2 cups dried lentils
1 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 hot red peppers, seeded and chopped, or 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/3 cup olive or salad oil
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
˝ cup sliced scallions, with some tops
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Pepper to taste
Crisp lettuce leaves, washed and dried
2 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and sliced
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How To Cook:
1 . Wash lentils and boil 2 minutes in water to cover. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.
2 . Add salt, garlic, peppers or ground pepper; mix well.
3 . Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Do not overcook.
4 . Add more water during cooking, if needed.
5 . Remove from heat; drain. Remove and discard garlic cloves. Put in a bowl ; add oil and cool.
6 . When cold add vinegar, scallions, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
7 . Refrigerate 2 hours or longer to blend flavors. Serve on lettuce leaves, garnished with egg slices.
