4-season lentil salad

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300 g lentils
• 4 liters of water
• 1 m.-sized carrot(s)
• 1 handful of peas, frozen or fresh
• 1 handful of sugar snap peas
• 3 shallots
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 juniper berries
• 4 carnations
• Balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt
• Butter, unsalted
• Honey, e.g. lavender honey

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

Enjoy vegetarian, cold or warm

Cover the lentils with about 4 liters of water. Add 6 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, juniper berries, cloves, and a pinch of sea salt. Cook until the desired consistency is reached, adding a little more water if necessary to ensure the lentils are always well covered. You will need the liquid later to finish the cooking. I prefer the lentils slightly firm to the bite. The cooking time varies depending on the variety. Once the cooking time is over, drain the lentils in a sieve. Collect the cooking water, but do not throw it away. Sort and discard the spices from the lentils. Set the lentils and the liquid aside for now. Sauté the shallots and carrots, cut into 1 cm cubes, in butter and deglaze with a generous splash of balsamic vinegar. Add 3-4 ladles of the liquid from the lentils. Add the peas and finely chopped snow peas shortly afterwards and let them reduce for a few minutes. The peas, carrots, and snow peas should remain slightly firm to the bite. Season with salt, honey, and balsamic vinegar and pour over the lentils. The salad should have a light and moist consistency. Toss with the chopped parsley and season with more salt, balsamic vinegar, or honey if desired. This hearty lentil salad can be served cold or warm, as a starter or as a side dish to a main course, or simply as a snack. 250 kcal per serving. Tips: The peas and snow peas can be blanched if desired to retain their fresh green color. The lentils can be soaked in water overnight, but I used them straight away. Olive or rapeseed oil can also be used instead of butter.