Roasted and Marinated Roots with Smoky Yogurt, Crisp Lentils, and Dill Vinaigrette

This salad screams with flavor. You have the smoky yogurt on the bottom and then it is dressed with a jalapeno and dill vinaigrette only to be topped off with crispy fried lentils. This is a recipe from my Plant Based Cooking Class at Red Stick Spice Co. in Baton Rouge

Adapted from Splendid Table

Ingredients Crisp Lentils:

1/2 cup beluga or French lentils, soaked with water to cover by 2 inches overnight at room temperature

1/4 cup avocado oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Smoky Yogurt:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbl Smokey Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbl Sherry Wine Vinegar

1 tsp crushed red chile flakes

1 tsp smoked sea salt

1 Tbl water

Roasted and marinated root vegetables:

1 small head chicory, such as radicchio, or endive, washed, trimmed, and separated into individual leaves

2 sweet potatoes, cubed

1 red onion, cut into 6 wedges

2 Tbl Rosemary Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1-2 Tbl Cranberry Maple Rub

1 cup of cooked farro or another grain

1 Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, or another crisp apple, cored and thinly sliced

2 Tbl chopped dill leaves

Dill Vinaigrette:

1 Tbl shallot, finely minced

2 Tbl chopped dill leaves

Zest and juice of 1 lime

3 Tbl Pear Champagne Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp finely chopped jalapeño chile

1/4 tsp crushed red chile flakes

1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oi

Make the Crispy Lentils:

Drain the lentils, shaking off as much excess water as you can. Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium high-heat until it simmers and looks like it could almost smoke. Carefully add the lentils (they might sputter a bit) and cook until crisp, about 2 minutes, stirring often so they don’t stick to the bottom. Drain off as much oil from the pan as you can and transfer the lentils to a paper towel–lined plate. Season with the sea salt and cayenne while still warm. Set aside until ready to serve or let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Make the Smoky Yogurt:

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, oil, vinegar, chile flakes, smoked salt, and water. Whisk until well

combined. Set aside until ready to serve or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Roast Sweet Potatoes and Onion:

Pre heat oven to 425 degrees. Cube sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and toss potatoes and onions with Rosemary Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Cranberry Maple Rub. Place on a large baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes.

Make The Dill Vinaigrette:

Combine the oil, shallot, dill leaves, lime zest and juice, vinegar, the brown sugar, kosher salt, jalapeño, and chile flakes in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake it until it all comes together. Set aside until ready to use or store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

To assemble

Spread the yogurt over a serving plate. Scatter the roasted sweet potatoes, onions, grains over the yogurt and tuck in the chicory leaves and apple slices. Spoon the vinaigrette over and top with fried lentils and the chopped dill.