Einka & Lentil Salad with Beets and Fennel

15 minutes prep 25 minutes active cooking 40 minutes total
Makes 4 - 6 servings

Brooke and Sam Lacy farm ancient grains under the shadow of the North Cascades in Washington State’s Methow Valley.

Their plow-to-package operation grows, cleans, mills, and packages both einkorn and emmer farro along with heritage rye and wheat. The operation has grown since they started back in 2005, when Brooke would drive down to Portland to bring us 50 lb bags of emmer farro.

Einkorn and emmer farro are both ancient wheats, but einkorn was the first to be cultivated. Hunter-gatherers gathered the wild wheat in the Fertile Crescent more than 30,000 years ago, and cultivated einkorn crops date back about 10,000 years. It’s the only wheat that’s never been hybridized, and it’s ancient genetics weaken the grain’s gluten structure so some gluten-sensitive eaters can eat it without any problems.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the shopping list

  • 2 medium golden beets, grated
  • 1 fennel bulb, chopped
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 8-10 sprigs fresh mint, chopped

From our shop

1 cup of  Einka & French Lentils
$9.00– Winthrop - Washington
1/2 teaspoon + more to taste  Kosher Sea Salt
$9.00– Gossen Island - Norway
1 tablespoon of  Oregon Blackberry Honey
$10.00– Philomath - Oregon
2 teaspoons of  Whole Grain Mustard
$8.00– Saint-Maurice - France
2 tablespoons of  Zinfandel Vinegar
$16.00– Napa - California
Out of stock

3 tablespoons of  Madre Terra
$25.00– Sicily - Italy

Equipment

From the kitchen

  • 1 Large Sauce Pan
  • 1 Small Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons

What you'll have to do

Step 1

Combine 1 cup of the einka and lentil mix with 2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook about 25 minutes. Let rest, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Step 2

In a large bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of mustard in 2 tablespoons of vinegar, then stir in 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Step 3

Add the einka-lentil mix, the grated beets, fennel, shallot, and mint. Toss to combine, taste and add salt.

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