bohemianwanderer – This grilled courgette and lentil dish combines tender vegetables with a fresh, spicy dressing. It takes five minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook. The recipe serves four people.
The dish uses 150g of dried green lentils, which provide the main base. Four large courgettes add the vegetable component, with a mixture of green and yellow varieties recommended.
The lentils are cooked with garlic before being dressed while still warm. The dressing combines charred green chillies, mint, parsley, lime juice, honey and extra-virgin olive oil.
Pistachios are added to the remaining dressing and blended into a loose, nutty sauce. Shallots provide additional freshness and texture when combined with the dressed lentils.
Begin by cooking the lentils in a pan filled with plenty of cold, salted water. Add one garlic clove after bashing it several times to break it open.
Bring the water to a simmer and cook the lentils for 15 to 20 minutes. They should become just tender without losing their shape. Drain them once they reach the desired consistency.
While the lentils cook, prepare the chilli dressing. Heat a griddle pan over high heat and place the green chillies directly onto the dry surface.
Grill the chillies until their skins become mottled and blackened all over. This charring adds a smoky flavor to the dressing. Remove the stalks once the chillies have cooled enough to handle.
Place one charred chilli into an upright blender. Add the remaining garlic clove, 50ml of water and 10g of sea salt.
Add 20g each of the mint and flat-leaf parsley leaves. Pour in the honey, lime juice and 75ml of extra-virgin olive oil. Blend everything until the mixture forms a smooth dressing.
Green chillies can vary considerably in heat. Taste the dressing before adding the second chilli. Add it if you want more heat, while remembering that the finished dish will soften the chilli’s intensity.
Once the dressing reaches the preferred level of heat, spoon several tablespoons over the warm lentils. Stir gently so the dressing coats the lentils evenly.
Grill Courgettes Until Tender and Serve With Chilli-Lime Lentils
Heat the griddle pan over high heat again, or prepare a barbecue for cooking the courgettes. Cut each courgette diagonally into long slices approximately 2cm thick.
The diagonal cuts create broad surfaces that can develop attractive grill marks. Toss the courgette slices with two tablespoons of oil. Season them generously before placing them on the hot grill.
Grill the courgettes for several minutes on each side. Turn them carefully with tongs so that they develop color across their surfaces.
The courgettes should become nicely colored while remaining slightly firm. Avoid cooking them until they become too soft or lose their shape.
Once the courgettes are ready, return to the dressed lentils. Add the finely sliced shallot and most of the remaining chilli dressing.
Toss the lentils, shallot and dressing together until evenly combined. Reserve a few tablespoons of the dressing for finishing the dish.
Arrange the grilled courgettes over the lentil mixture. Roughly chop the remaining mint and parsley leaves and scatter them over the top.
Spoon the reserved pistachio dressing across the courgettes and lentils. The final dressing adds richness, while the herbs provide a fresh contrast to the grilled vegetables.
The finished dish brings together several contrasting flavors and textures. The lentils provide a hearty base, while the courgettes add smoky and lightly sweet notes.
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The charred chilli dressing contributes heat, acidity and freshness. Lime juice provides brightness, while honey balances the chilli and citrus. Pistachios add a creamy, nutty element to the sauce.
Cooking the lentils separately also helps preserve their texture. Dressing them while warm allows the flavors to penetrate more effectively. The grilled courgettes are then added shortly before serving.
