Dylan's bounty

Dylan had a bunch of airline miles that were going to expire so Mom tried to transfer them over, but couldn't figure out how to do it (or Dylan couldn't remember his PIN or password, or something like that). But Mom discovered that you can also use airline miles to order magazines, rather than free plane tickets, so instead of letting the miles go to waste, she ordered a boatload of magazines to be delivered to Dylan at our house. That way we get to read all the magazines, while Dylan gets targeted by the vast array of marketers who will drool over a would-be consumer with the catholicity of taste demonstrated by reading all these different types of magazines:

We might feel bad about this except that we're all using Gmail anyway, which means Google has already mined all of our emails* to figure out how to market us far more effectively than just seeing what magazine subscriptions we have. (Hi Google! Thanks for the free blogging platform.)

In any event, Dylan may get some benefit out of his unknowing bounty as you can see we've now got three cooking magazines coming every month, which I'm combing through to look for new recipes that might be of interest. And this is one that Mom and I really enjoyed. It's from Cava, which is a relatively healthy "chef-casual restaurant" franchise (whatever that means) that started out in Rockville, Maryland, and is now in about 80 locations on the East Coast and in Southern California and Texas. We had a location open up on Barracks Road in C'ville last summer, but we haven't made it there yet. We did like this bowl though, so we'll probably get there eventually.

Cava uses tiny black beluga lentils (so named because they look like beluga caviar) as one option for a base for their bowls. Here's how they look in comparison to other lentils:

Moving clockwise starting in the upper left-hand corner, these are: (1) black beluga lentils; (2) lentils du Puy; (3) regular green lentils (Trader Joe's Small Whole Green Lentils in this case); and (4) split red lentils. I went with the black beluga lentils for the sake of authenticity, but this recipe should work with anything except the split red lentils, which sorta dissolve into whatever you're making once you've cooked them long enough. The key to making salads or bowls with the other lentils is to cook them just till they're tender but not mushy and still hold their shape.

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* How creepy is it that Gmail now suggests responses while you're typing your emails? It's like having some Google flunky sitting there reading over your shoulder, with his hand in your pocket searching for your wallet, while you're composing your messages.

Harissa-Roasted Veggies

Black Lentil and Harissa-Roasted Veggie Bowl

Adapted from Dimitri Moshovitis of Cava via Bon Appetit (Feb. 2019)

 

Time: ~40 minutes (depending on the type of lentils you use and how long they take to cook)

The original recipe calls for the tiny black beluga lentils, which is what they use at Cava. I think any lentils (except red) should work though, including lentils du Puy. The cooking time for the lentils will vary depending on the type and age of the lentils you use. The original recipe also calls for 1 tablespoon harissa paste to be used in each of the vinaigrette and the coating for the roasted veggies, but Dylan warned me that that might be a lot for us. I imagine harissa may vary quite a bit in spiciness depending what brand you use. I used Trader Joe's Traditional Tunisian Harissa, and 2 teaspoons of that particular harissa in each of the vinaigrette and the veggie marinade seems like the right amount to my taste. Your mileage may vary.

For the lentils
2 cups (360 grams) black beluga lentils, picked over and rinsed (see note)
2 teaspoons fine sea salt

For the vegetables
3 tablespoons (40 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons (14 grams) harissa, or to taste (see note)
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large sweet potatoes (~1½ pounds/680 grams), scrubbed, peeled, and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 pints (1 pound/450 grams) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

For the vinaigrette
3 tablespoons (44 grams) red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon (21 grams) honey
2 teaspoons (14 grams) harissa, or to taste (see note)
a pinch of kosher salt
¼ cup (53 grams) extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup chopped cilantro

    1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. Place a pot or large saucepan or saucier with 2 quarts/8 cups of water in it on to boil over high heat. Spray an 18-by-13-inch baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper.
    2. For the lentils: When the water boils, stir in the lentils and fine sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer, until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20–30 minutes (start testing before that).
    3. For the vegetables: In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons harissa, kosher salt, coriander, and pepper. Add the sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Stir to coat, then spread onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Roast, stirring after 10 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are cooked through and browned on some sides, about 20–25 minutes total.
    4. For the vinaigrette: In the same large bowl that the veggies were in, whisk together the vinegar, honey, 2 teaspoons harissa, and a pinch of kosher salt. Stream in the ¼ cup oil, whisking constantly until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Transfer half of the sauce to a small bowl.
    5. When the lentils are done, drain them in a colander, then scrape them into the large bowl and toss to coat with the sauce. Taste for salt and pepper.
    6. Divide the lentils among 4 bowls. Top with the roasted sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Whisk the remaining sauce to recombine, then drizzle over the bowls. Serve promptly. Makes 4 servings.