Beluga lentils and asparagus salad

Finally, there we go! The little asparagus huts pop up everywhere here in Germany, the sun comes out more often and summer seems to be just around the corner with a greater choice at the farmer’s market and on the plate. Asparagus is for me always like the first major bright spot in the year and the unmistakable sign that winter is over.

I actually like the green asparagus a little more than the white (also because you do not need to peel it that much) since it is so beautifully crisp and also taste great raw. But the white asparagus is the classic and soo nice and tender… So I like to mix both.

And since I had enough soups during winter, today comes a nice salad. Lukewarm, but really crisp because of the beluga lentils, which stay firm and solid after cooking and the fresh little radishes…mmmhhhh…

So, get inspired and enjoy!

These are the ingredients for one serving:

100 g beluga lentils
5-6 asparagus (green and white mixed)
3-4 radishes
2 dried tomatoes

for the dressing:

1 tablespoon white tahini (sesame paste)
juice of half a lemon
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
some water
pepper

preparation:

Cook the beluga lentils according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, wash, peel and cut the asparagus into 3 cm long pieces.
First, add the white asparagus into boiling, lightly salted water and after 5 minutes add the green asparagus for 1 minute, so it cooked only very briefly. Drain the water.
Cut radishes and mix it with the cooked asparagus and the lentils.
Mix tahini, lemon, mustard, maple syrup and vinegar in a small bowl and add cold water until the consistency is creamy liquid. Season with pepper and pour over the lukewarm salad.
Cut the dried tomatoes finely and sprinkle over the salad. Done.