Fire up the grill for a Lenten barbecue–add a selection of olives, bread, a green salad, with halva and fruit for dessert and you have the makings of a feast.

I always ate lentils growing up as a kid, and this is recipe really brings to life such a wonderful little legume. When I used to make this dish at Meze as part of the nightly staff meal, Fotis, who was the wine director at the restaurant, would walk by and grab a plate before I was done cooking. I’d yell at him to wait, but he’d laugh and say, “I don’t need anything else but this!” I pair this dish with fish like salmon or halibut that’s been prepared simply with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper, and then grilled. You can cook up anything you want with it as long as you try it. When you do, you’ll become a lentils fan, too.

2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 lemon, juiced (about 4 Tbs)
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (16-ounce) package of cooked
lentils or 1 cup dry lentils

Preparation
If cooking lentils from scratch, place lentils and 3 cups of water in a pot. Bring water to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook 30 minutes or until tender, but firm. Do not overcook. In a medium-size mixing bowl combine cooked lentils and all the remaining ingredients. Toss and refrigerate; allow lentils to return to room temperature before serving.

Serve with…
2009 Cold Creek Chardonnay
Designation: Dry white wine
Producer: Levendi Winery
Varietal: Chardonnay
Origin: Carneros, California
Alcohol: 14.5%

This elegant and smooth chardonnay is produced by The Gianulias family in California. It is produced from 100% Chardonnay and cultivated from a single vineyard. It’s a well-balanced white wine with tropical flavors and a hint of citrus. 2009 Cold Creek Chardonnay has a great structure and a rich texture pairs well with the flavors in this lentil salad.