CANAPÉS WITH LENTILS, BROCCOLI, GRILLED PEPPERS AND TOASTED SUNFLOWER SEEDS
I beg to differ with T.S. Eliot when he says that April is the cruelest month because it definitely is January, I know what he means but I have to say that January is far more soul destroying than April when there at least is hope in the air and lilacs as well. January is grinding me down right now with bad news and boring grey weather, I am trying to keep my head above the bog and to think about good things (and there are a few around actually) but it ain’t easy!
One good help is food, I am baking like a maniac and will soon review a couple of great cookbooks I have bought lately, today I will just offer you a little something before you finally get to the dining table, I hope you will enjoy it!
CANAPÉS WITH LENTILS, BROCCOLI, GRILLED PEPPERS AND TOASTED SUNFLOWER SEEDS
bread cut into canapé sized pieces
brown lentils, dried
broccoli
grilled peppers in oil
sunflower seeds
salt
extra-virgin olive oil
- Cook the lentils, or rather, over-cook the lentils so that you just have to mash a bit to get a ‘rustic’ purée. Check salt and add some olive oil to it before leaving it to cool down. If it is to dodgy, add a little water and mix.
- Take the broccoli, fresh if you can get it, frozen but thawed if you can’t, and break it down into small florets.
- Fry the broccoli florets in some olive oil until they are soft and have a bit of a fried look. Don’t forget to salt.
- Cut the grilled pepper into thin strips.
- Toast the sunflower seeds in a non-stick pan until golden.
- Take out the canapé bread and spoon a layer of lentil purée on each piece, then put some broccoli florets on top and then grilled pepper strips. Top with sunflower seeds and they are ready to be served.
I can see that you are having some problems with linking to your sites and blogs when you comment here but it is actually pretty simple to add your link! If you click on the From tab under the box where you write your name, you will get a list of options and one of them should be This Page or something like that (I get it all automatically in Italian here so I don’t know the exact wording in English) and there you just add the www. of your site. Don’t use the http:// as it is automatically added.
January really is a drag. I totally agree.
Gorgeous photos! The colors and textures in the canapes are stunning. (And the combination of flavors sounds delicious to me!)
I was stuck for a nice simple vegetarian dinner tonight, and your post has inspired me! Lentils with broccoli it will be.
Like always your photos are totally awesome!
Wonderful recipe. Pictures are fantastic. Did you use an extension tube or simply a macro lens?
It sounds delicious. Luv the picture too!
It sounds delicious and the picture is great!
Very nice canapes! I have never thought to use lentils this way
Håll ut vännen!!! Det är snart februari och än mer närmare våren.
Kraaam!
/åsa
loving the crazy macro action! x
BTW, vegetarians rule!!! Go vege power!
weäre halfway now at least..
thanks!
This makes me very happy to hear, thank you!
For the first photo of the drops I used a macro lens, for the rest a 50mm lens
thank you!
thanks, lentils are so versatile I find!
thank you, nice to see you here, have you turned vegetarian?
L-O-V-E-L-Y. It’s amazing how you can turn something as underestimated as brown lentils into such a gorgeous dish.
Ah, and by the way, thanks to you I’ve discovered the power of braising vegetables! Broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots … you name it. This technique can lift even the most humble dish to amazing heights. Thank you!