Ancient Grain and Lupin Salad
Ancient Grain and Lupin Salad
Prep time: 60 minutes to allow time for the grains to cook and 10 minutes just before serving.
Serves 8-10 as a side dish (plus leftovers if you’re lucky!).
Ingredients:
100 gm Lupin Flake
100 gm wild rice (or black rice)
100 gm green lentils
60 gm pistachio kernels, roughly chopped
30 red seedless grapes, halved
2 bunches of dill
2 bunches of tarragon
1 bunch of mint
Salt & pepper
Dressing
150 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Method
Place one litre of water into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add wild rice, reduce heat and simmer with the lid on for 40-45 minutes, until kernels open but hold their shape. Drain and set aside to cool.
While rice is cooking, place green lentils and one litre of cold water into another small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft but still have a nutty texture. Take care not to overcook. Drain and set aside to cool.
Place Lupin Flake into a small saucepan and add about 1 litre of cold water. Bring to boil, reduce heat slightly so Lupin Flake doesn’t boil over, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain flake into a fine mesh sieve, rinse with cold water and drain again. When cool enough to handle, wrap in a clean cloth and squeeze out excess moisture.
While grains are cooking and cooling, put dressing ingredients into a large shallow bowl, whisk until creamy and set aside.
Combine all grains in a large bowl, toss to combine and season to taste.
Pour ¾ of the dressing onto the grains and set aside to allow the grains to absorb the flavours, at least 30 minutes or the day before. Keep the remaining dressing in an airtight container until the next stage.
**Just before serving add the chopped pistachios, grapes and roughly chopped herbs. Toss in the remaining dressing and serve, garnished with freshly ground black pepper.
RECIPE NOTES:
Seasoning is essential for this salad. Don’t be shy. We recommend a good quality sea salt, ground white pepper and finish with freshly ground black pepper.
**This recipe can be prepared the day before to this stage. To make the final stage easier, chop the pistachios the day before, and wash and pick off the herb leaves. Then all you have to do to finish is halve the grapes and roughly chop the herbs. Viola!
We have chosen 3 grains to make the recipe a little easier to prepare. You can add or substitute other grains such as black barley, quinoa, freekeh and other lentils, but keep the Lupin Flake for nutritional balance.
Best assembled just before serving but suitable as leftovers for 2-3 days.