Chickpea and Red Lentil Salad with Lebanese Hummus Sauce
Serves: 4
This recipe is inspired by Alain Ducasse, one of the most famous chefs in the entire world. You’ll understand why, when you taste this healthy, refreshing salad. Although I Garden of Eydie-it, and changed the hummus sauce a bit and added a couple of ingredients to the salad, it’s still in the spirit of Chef Alain’s intent.
This recipe is inspired by Alain Ducasse, one of the most famous chefs in the entire world. You’ll understand why, when you taste this healthy, refreshing salad. Although I Garden of Eydie-it, and changed the hummus sauce a bit and added a couple of ingredients to the salad, it’s still in the spirit of Chef Alain’s intent.
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight)
- 2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks (divided)
- 2 medium sized carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (divided
- 2 dried bay leaves (preferable Turkish)
- ½ cup red lentils
- 1 garlic clove, minced (1 teaspoon)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ras el hanout
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 2 ounces bean sprouts, torn into bite size pieces
- 2-3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- ¼ cup mint leaves, chiffonade (stacked, rolled and sliced into long thin strips)
Directions
- Drain the soaked chickpeas and put them in a 3-quart pot with 1 bay leaf, 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped carrot. Pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium low and simmer until chickpeas are just cooked. The time will vary depending on how fresh the chickpeas are. Fresh chickpeas may only take 20 minutes, and older chickpeas could take 45 minutes, or longer. Check every 20 minutes or so, until the chickpeas are cooked but not mushy.
- Pour the beans with the cooking liquid, through a strainer on top of a bowl, as you will need the cooking liquid later. Remove the bay leaf, onion and carrot and let the chickpeas cool.
- Rinse the lentils in cold water and pick out any stones. Fill a 2-quart or larger pot with water and add in the red lentils, other bay leaf, the rest of the onion and carrot. Bring water to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the lentils are just cooked through but still hold their shape.
- Drain the lentils and remove the onion, carrot and bay leaf. Reserve.
In the bowl of a high speed blender, add 1 cup of the cooked chickpeas with ⅔ cup of their cooking liquid, minced garlic, ground cumin, ras el hanout, lemon juice, salt (if using) and pepper. Blend on medium high until very creamy. Taste and correct seasoning, if needed.
In a mixing bowl, add the remaining 2 cups reserved chickpeas, cooked lentils, ½ cup chopped celery, beans sprouts, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar and mint. Toss to combine.
Spoon the hummus sauce in a bowl and surround with the chickpea salad.
Cook's Notes: - For great pressure cooking tips check out: hippressurecooking.com and How to cook beans
- Chickpeas are rich in carbohydrates, proteins and minerals and contain antioxidants, carotenoids and vitamin E!
