yes, that’s two lentil recipes two days in a row.
and i already mentioned how i know that lentils just don’t look so great in photographs. didn’t stop me. too tasty.
the inspiration for this recipe came from dinner at one of our favorite places in town, forequarter. the restaurant is about half a block from our house and is tiny, so you almost always have to wait for a table. luckily, your friendly hipster bartender will make you a craft cocktail that makes the wait pass without any regrets.
the menu at forequarter consists of all small plates you share with your table. they are always full of fresh ingredients, interesting meats, and surprising combinations. last time we were there, the standout plate was the fried mushroom with lentils and pea shoots. i ate far more than my fair share, and i didn’t feel bad about it.
at the farmers market the following day, i bought oyster mushrooms with the intent of trying to make a similar side dish. the forequarter dish was heaviest on the mushrooms, with lentils and pea shoots as supporting characters. my version flips the ratio of lentils to mushrooms. i think you can play with these depending on how heavy of a side dish you want it to be (the more lentils, the heavier). which ever way you do it, the combination of lentils, mushrooms, and pea shoots is fantastic.
- 1 cup dry lentils
- ¼-1/3 cup vegetable oil
- ½ lb oyster mushrooms, large pieces torn in half
- 1 cup pea shoots
- 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- In a medium pot, combine lentils a healthy pinch of salt with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes until lentils are tender.
- In the meantime, heat vegetable oil in a cast iron pan. Once hot, drop mushrooms into pan and let them fry, only flipping every couple of minutes. Once crispy, remove from pan.
- When lentils are cooked, transfer them to the cast iron pan and add mushrooms and pea shoots. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
This is going to be dinner for Scott and me tomorrow. Thanks for the inspiration!
writes AnnaLet me know how it turns out, Anna! And let me know how difficult it is to find pea shoots in the Netherlands!
writes Vicky[…] i took some lessons in color home with me. unlike the brownish greens of my previous two posts (lentils and lentils), try this soup, which just by it’s color makes me want to eat it […]
writes pea mint soup | Things I Made Today[…] Then Jason and I moved into a town house together, and as a gift for our ongoing commitment to each other, Forequarter opened just a block from our house. It became our neighborhood bar (how lucky we were to call this our local hangout), and I was always marveled by the meals I ate there. I was so inspired by their lentils with mushroom and pea shoot dish I had to try making my own version. […]
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