Cooking with chocolate, hearty lentil salad with a sweet note

Chocolate everybody’s favorite. Normally used for sweets. Why not get experiences in cooking spicy and hearty food with chocolate? The texture and the flavor of dark chocolate give a new and special twist. It’s a wonderful ingredient for cakes and of course in spicy dishes as well. Have a try with an Asian inspired lentil dish.

Directions: Peel sweet potatoes and cut into cubes. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cubes on top. Sprinkle with salt and ras-el-hanout. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast in oven at 220°C or 425°F for about 15 minutes or cooked through. Take them out and cool. Cut cherry tomatoes in half.

Cook lentils as written in the wrapping. Drain lentils and place them into a huge bowl. Add tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and olive oil. Season the salad to taste with salt, black pepper, chili powder and black pepper. Toss slightly.

Chef’s Handyman tip: Do not cook lentils with salt otherwise they will never cook through.

Prepare grated walnuts and grated dark chocolate. For the vegan friendly version, cut dates in half and shape them into balls. Turn the rounds in the chocolate nut mixture.

For the vegetarian friendly version, shape cream cheese into balls. Turn them in the walnut chocolate mixture.

Place the salad on plates. Add the lentil mixture and dates or the cream cheese balls. Garnish with herbs and edible flowers.

Shopping list for four serves: 3 sweet potatoes, 14 dates, 1-2 lemons, 15 cherry tomatoes, 500 g or 16 oz. lentils, 200 g or 7 oz. salad, 7 oz. cream cheese, 60 g or 2 oz. grated walnuts, 60 g or 2 oz. grated dark chocolate, thyme, chili powder, olive oil, salt, black pepper, edible flowers.

The left over is perfect as lunch in the office. So double the size of ingredients.

Have a great weekend, yours Chef’s Handyman team.