Spring Vegetables with Lentils and Quinoa

SERVES 2 OR 3 AS A MEAL



This is one of the most likable one-dish meals in this book, and can be easily scaled up in a larger pan to serve more people (cooking times will increase a bit, so use your judgment to determine when vegetables are done and the rest is heated through). The combination of nutty asparagus with sweet peas, grated carrot, and minerally spinach makes a happy springtime dish, but feel free to substitute any vegetables that look good and are in season. If you have fresh morels or other mushrooms, by all means add them, too, or reconstitute dried mushrooms in hot water, rinse them well to remove any sand, and add them with the vegetables. Keep in mind that adding longer-cooking vegetables like root vegetables, or especially tough green beans will require your parcooking (cooking partially in boiling water, then draining) them before adding them to the skillet. Also, substitute the same quantity of other legumes and grains for the lentils and quinoa, if you like.

Gather all the ingredients together and have them ready, because the cooking only takes about ten minutes total.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 clove garlic, chopped 
• 2 spring onions, white parts thinly sliced, tender green tops cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths 
• ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable stock or water 
• 5 ounces (140 g) asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths 
• ½ cup (75 g) shelled fresh or frozen English peas 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• Pinch of hot red pepper flakes 
• 1 small carrot, grated 
• 1 1/2 packed cups (2 ounces/57 g) baby spinach 
• Coarsely grated zest of 1 small lemon 
• 1 cup (210 g) cooked French green lentils or black (beluga) lentils 
• 1 1/2 cups (260 g) cooked ivory quinoa
• 1 ounce (28 g) feta cheese, or a small piece of hard cheese, such as Parmesan or aged Gouda (optional) 

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and white parts of the spring onions and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock, asparagus, fresh peas (hold off if using frozen), green parts of the spring onions, a generous pinch of salt, several grindings of black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the asparagus and peas are just tender, about 2 minutes. Add the carrot, spinach, lemon zest, and another pinch of salt (if using frozen peas, add them now). Pile in the lentils and quinoa. Cook, stirring gently to combine, until the spinach is wilted, the frozen peas (if using) are thawed, and the lentils and quinoa are just heated through, about 2 minutes. Crumble or grate in the cheese, if using. Divide among serving plates and serve hot.