Beluga lentil salad with scallops and smoked shrimp

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g beluga lentils
• 750 ml water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 m.-sized carrot(s)
• 1 leek, the green end
• 12 scallops
• Oil for frying
• 1 orange(s) (organic)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 pinch(s) pepper, white
• 1 tsp vanilla sugar, high-quality or homemade
• 5 tbsp vinegar, mild and light, e.g. white balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp oil, e.g. grape seed oil
• ½ garlic clove(s), grated
• 1 small onion(s), red, finely chopped
• n. B. Shrimp(s) (smoked)
• some parsley or sprouts

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

Starter in a fish menu or in larger quantities also a main course

Place the beluga lentils and water – a ratio of 1 to 3 – in a pot with the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer the lentils with the lid on. If they boil too vigorously, they may fall apart. While the lentils are cooking, peel the carrot, halve it, and cut it into strips. Cut these strips into very fine cubes. Take about 2-3 leaves of the green part of the leek, each about 5 cm long, wash them thoroughly, cut them into fine strips, and then cut these into small cubes. After about 25 minutes of cooking, add the diced vegetables to the lentils and cook for another 10 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still have a slight bite. Taste them occasionally at the end; they should definitely not become mushy. After cooking, drain the lentils in a sieve and let stand for a moment. For the dressing, put the vinegar and oil in a bowl. Add the very finely chopped onion, some grated garlic, salt, and white pepper and mix. Add the zest of one orange and stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar. Add the lentils to the dressing in the bowl and mix well. Lentils love vinegar and salt, so season well. It can be heavily seasoned. The bay leaf can be left in, but shouldn’t be served. Let the salad sit for a while. Meanwhile, fry the scallops briefly on both sides in a little oil in a pan, for about 2 minutes. Not too hot, or they will burn. The scallop should still be slightly translucent in the center; then it’s perfect. If you’re not that experienced, you can fry one more test scallop and cut it open. Ladle the salad while it’s still lukewarm into deep plates, top each with 3 scallops and a few smoked shrimp. Garnish with sprouts or parsley and grind white pepper over everything. Tip: I’ve also added orange juice to the dressing, but I find the orange flavor is too overpowering. We like it better this way. But everyone has to find out for themselves.