Lentil Tacos with Grilled Pineapple-Tomatillo Salsa
The best American name for this vegetable would probably be “Mexican green tomato”, but they actually taste nothing like regular tomatoes, In fact, the tomatillo is not a tomato at all. The tomatillo has a tart, lemony flavor that is enhance when cooked (especially roasted) and is an excellent base for salsas. While salsa (salsa verde) is the most popular way to enjoy tomatillo, they can be used in other ways. Tomatillos contain high amounts of vitamin A&C. Tomatillos are our #2 sales item!
Ingredients
For the Lentils
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cups lentils
1 bay leaf
For the Salsa
6 tomatillos
2 jalapeños
2 slices pineapple, about 3/4 to 1-inch thick (leave the skin on)
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
For Serving
Corn tortillas
Avocados, thinly sliced
Radishes, thinly sliced
Lime wedges
Instructions
Make the lentils. Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, salt and chili powder and cook for 1-2 additional minutes. Add the vegetable stock, lentils and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are softened and the liquid is absorbed. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Cover to keep warm.
While the lentils are cooking, make the salsa. Pre-heat your grill to high. Remove and discard the papery husks from the tomatillos. Rinse them well and then quarter them. Add the quartered tomatillos to a medium bowl along with the jalapeños. Drizzle some olive oil into the bowl and toss gently to lightly coat the tomatillos and the jalapeños. Also brush a small amount of the olive oil onto both sides of the pineapple slices. Add everything to your grill. I put everything directly onto the grill grates, but if you have one of those baskets for vegetables, you can use it for the tomatillos and jalapeños. Grill all of the ingredients, turning them occasionally, until darkened in places. Remove from the grill and place on a cutting board to cool until safe to handle. Then chop the tomatillos into chunks, finely dice the jalapeños and remove and discard the pineapple skin and cut the pineapple flesh into chunks. Add everything to a bowl along with the cilantro and salt. Stir gently to mix. Set aside. As the salsa sits, it will release some juices that will accumulate in the bowl. You can strain this out before serving.
Assemble the tacos. Warm the tortillas so they are soft and pliable, either in your microwave, oven or on the stove top in a skillet. Fill the warm tortillas with some of the lentils. Then top with the salsa, a few slices of avocado and radish and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired. Serve immediately.
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 2-3 days.
From floatingkitchen.net