Everything is green in this early summer seasonal salad combining veggies, lentils, herbs, pecorino and pistachios. It’s an explosion of flavours and textures that will leave you perfectly satisfied and recharged.
Using different colours in the kitchen is recommended to obtain a variety of vitamins and minerals, but a single-colour meal also has its advantages. It is often a source of harmony in tastes and you can always find this diversity of vitamins and minerals from the same, particularly green colour.
Here the courgettes are grilled for umami, the cucumbers bring freshness with the herbs and the pistachios add a nutty flavour and crunch. The pecorino brings tang and creaminess and complements the protein of the lentils. Finally, dried apricots and honey sweeten it all. The lentils come from Colfiorito, in Umbria, and the pecorino from Tuscany, while the pistachios come directly from Mount Etna, in Sicily.
Zucchini, pistachio + lentil salad
Serves 4
Preparation and cooking time: 1h
200g lentils (here di Colfiorito, but any green lentils work)
1 long cucumber, scooped out and cut into small cubes
8 pink radish, finely sliced
Fresh chives, finely chopped
Fresh mint, finely chopped
8 small zucchini, preferably Costata Romanesco
2 handfuls rocket leaves
100/150g pecorino primo sale
1 handful Bronte pistachios, crushed
6 dried apricots, cut in little pieces
Dressing
Juice of 1 medium lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
Fresh mint
Salt + pepper
Cook the lentils in salted water according to the cooking time indicated for each variety. We want them al dente. Drain and add the radishes, cucumber, chives and mint. Add salt and pepper, and set aside in the fridge.
Cut the courgettes lengthways into 3-4 mm slices, cover with olive oil and sear flat in a hot pan (ideally a grill pan). Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat on each side, adding a little coarse salt. Set aside.
Prepare the dressing by mixing together the lemon juice and honey with the salt and pepper, followed by the oil and chopped mint. Add to the lentil mix.
Arrange a few rocket leaves on the plates. Divide the lentil mix between the plates, put the courgette on top and add the pecorino, pistachios and dried apricots. Add a few mint leaves and enjoy!
Tip: Rocket salad can be quite bitter when it comes from a supermarket. As an alternative, you can find large leaves in most markets in Italy, which have a milder flavour and more tender texture.