If I Had a Bucket List…

 

Reading online and from travel books regarding various ancient pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela, Spain (thought to be the final resting place of St. James); I learned the journey has no starting point per se, pilgrims began from wherever they lived.

 

Regardless, one well-liked prevailing strand, a two-month trek, runs through the city of Le-Puy-en-Valey where it just so happens, Le Puy green lentils hail; not surprisingly protected and documented by French authority.

That rabbit hole led me to a few heirloom lentils resting in my pantry, which hail from Idaho.  Then, inspired by Bon Appetit’s magnificent legume and vegetable salad, it became a trendspotting grain bowl supper.

Notice, a cinnamon stick, and star anise found their way into the pot of lentils

(use a quart of water for 1 1/2 cups of dry lentils).

Marinated Lentils with Crunchy Vegetables combines rich, earthy lentils dressed in fragrant toasted seeds in olive oil with vibrant aged sherry vinegar into a robust scrumptious textured dish.

I toasted the seeds

 and ground them before adding them to the hot oil;

an additional step preventing an unwelcome bite, in my opinion. Off heat, pour in the vinegar.  Careful; this is hot business.

Drain the lentils; toss the onion, leaves, and sticks. Reserve the tasty cooking water.

Pour the hot dressing over the warm lentils and stir gently.

Moreover, I upped the ante, by pairing the lentils with seedy quinoa gems cooked in the too-good-to-toss lentil pot liquor.

What a posh way to eat your creamy healthful grains; moving exotic pockets of texture and crunch to wherever you fancy. AND, don’t forget the velvety, crusty avocado toast with coarse salt, and pink cheeked peppercorns.