This salad owes its very existence to a very annoying feature of my corner produce market—the one, right across from the subway, that I stop into nearly every night for an onion or head of lettuce or whatever item I need for that evening's meal. Like, say, a jalapeno. The problem? This place sells its jalapenos sheathed in plastic on styrofoam trays. If I need one measly chile for a batch of guac, I must buy, at minimum, ten. 

So I've taken to broiling the unused peppers until their skins blacken, sweating them in a covered bowl, and then peeling them to reveal their softer, gentler sides (you'd think). Grocery store jalapenos are maddeningly inconsistent in their heat levels. Sometimes I can snack on the roasted fruits with abandon, bringing out the flavor with just a bit of salt; other times, one bite will result in much pain and a vow (always quickly forgotten) to never bite into a chile pepper again.

It's much safer, I've realized, to chop the roasted flesh and mix it with other, tamer, stuff.

I made this mish-mash of a salad last weekend to accompany a nice fillet of wild Alaskan salmon from FreshDirect. Tangy, sweet and spicy all at once, with an earthy lentil foundation, it seemed to actually improve in flavor after a day in the fridge.


SPICY SUMMER LENTIL SALAD

2 ears fresh corn
10 shallots
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 cup French green lentils
1-2 jalapenos (or more, if they're on the mild side)
2 tablespoons parsley
1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Broil jalapenos, turning once or twice, until skins are blackened. Immediately place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees.  After about twenty minutes, or when cool enough to handle, peel skin off jalapenos, remove seeds and veins, and chop finely. Peel shallots, cut in half or thirds if large, and toss with a little olive oil in a small baking dish. Roast until soft and sweet, 20-25 minutes. Roast corn, in husks or wrapped in foil, about 30-40 minutes. Spread tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes, until collapsing and browned in places. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and simmer lentils until tender but not mushy, about 20-25 minutes. Rinse lentils with cold water. Cut corn off cob. Toss corn, lentils, shallots, tomatoes, and jalapenos with the parsley in a large bowl. Dress with vinegar and olive oil to taste, and season with salt and pepper.


Categories: Salads, Sides, Vegetables
Technorati Tags: salads,lentils,corn,jalapenos,vegetables

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