Lentil fritters on a bed of wilted beet greens vinaigrette
4 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ | pounds | Red lentils; sorted and soaked for 1-hour and drained |
| 1 | tablespoon | Chopped fresh dill |
| 1 | teaspoon | Paprika |
| ½ | teaspoon | Salt |
| ¾ | pounds | Red potatoes; peeled |
| Olive oil; for frying | ||
| ¼ | pounds | Beet greens; stems removed |
| 1 | tablespoon | Balsamic vinegar |
| ½ | teaspoon | Stone-ground mustard |
| ½ | teaspoon | Capers |
| Salt | ||
| Freshly ground black pepper | ||
| 3 | tablespoons | Extra virgin olive oil |
Directions
1. Place the lentils in a soup pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches.
Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and force through a food mill. Place the mash in a bowl, stir in the dill, paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt. Grate the potatoes into the bowl and stir to blend.
2. Form the lentil mixture into half-dollar-sized fritters and fry in a thin layer of oil until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown on the other side. Drain paper towels. 3. To make the dressing place the vinegar, mustard, capers, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until blended.
4. Parboil the beet greens in salted water until wilted. Drain and divide among four plates. Arrange 4 or 5 fritters over the greens. Drizzle with dressing and serve.
SERVES 4; 60-70 mins; Moderately difficult. mc-PER SERVING 38% cff: 244cals; 11g fat
VARIATIONS: The fritters and greens can also be dressed with a simple drizzle of olive oil and lemon. >"Frittelle di Lenticchie all'Aceto Balsamico," or "Lentil Fritters on a Bed of Wilted Beet Greens Drizzled with Balsamic Vinaigrette," from SOLO VERDURA, by Anne Bianchi (Ecco, 1997). >Edited by Pat Hanneman 3/98 Notes: Tuscan schools break in mid morning for merenda, a snack so broad in spirit that it might include anything from bread with ricotta to a slice of pound cake to the following fritters made from lentils and grated potatoes and favored with dill (sans the beet green bed, of course). At one time, mothers and nannies would deliver the merenda fresh from the kitchen.
Nowadays, Tuscan lads and lassies have to make do with cold leftovers.
Recipe by: SOLO VERDURA, by Anne Bianchi Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by KitPATh <phannema@...> on Mar 26, 1998