lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, microgreens + marigold

lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold

Are you guys watching Chef’s Table on Netflix yet? So much crazy passion and inspiration in under 50 minutes and there are only 6 episodes – you can totally commit. I remember back in design school my teacher always emphasized the importance of not falling for the cozy-little-house-with-a-picket-fence dream. We need to go out, be passionate about something we believe in and change the world. I kinda feel like I let him down. I took the very first job that was offered to me – knowing well it wouldn’t come close to satisfying me creatively but out of this creative desperation earthy feast was born. It may seem a little far fetched but I like to think that in some ways I’m making a difference with this blog. Maybe I’m inspiring people to try a new vegetable for the first time or getting them excited about making a delicious home-cooked meal. Lots of tiny changes lead to big change over time. I believe that.

When the lovely Renee from Will Frolic for Food asked if I wanted to make a dish for an edible flower potluck party(!) I was totally overwhelmed. I have zero experience with edible flowers and have only come across them a handful of times in my life. But no way was I going to allow my insecurities to get in the way of this gorgeous celebration. Flower power people! It’s kinda crazy how a few colorful petals can transform a humble lentil salad. If you can’t find flowers, microgreens are just as beautiful in my opinion – and you can easily grow your own! The microgreens and petals are lightly dressed with a little lemon juice, olive oil and honey – super simple so not to distract from their delicate flavors. The beet dressing for the lentils is more savory and mellow – roasted garlic adds nutty, caramelized notes, a nice contrast to the light, bright greens. I’m completely blown away by the bounty of beautiful dishes this talented group of bloggers have brought to the party – check them out below!

 

Baking Magique | Salted Lavender Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies (Gluten Free)

The Bojon Gourmet | Hibiscus, Rhubarb + Yogurt Ice Pops

le jus d’orange | rose hokkaido cupcakes topped with rose petals and pistachio cream

Bread + Barrow | An Edible Flower Luncheon 

Dunk & Crumble | Strawberry Lilac Pavlovas

EGeeDee | Coconut Golas (Indian Shaved Ice on a Stick) in a Hibiscus Syrup

Fix Feast Flair | Mini Pistachio-Rose Olive Oil Cakes with Lemon-Chamomile Whipped Cream

Ginger and Toasted Sesame | Hwajeon: Sweet Matcha Rice Cakes with Fresh Flowers and Honey Syrup

Kale & Caramel | Ricotta & Basil Stuffed Nasturtiums

A Little Saffron | Raspberry Rose Fizz

London Bakes | Strawberry + Rose Cake (Gluten Free) 

Snixy Kitchen | Chamomile Honeycomb Ice Cream

Top With Cinnamon | Lime, Mango and Elderflower Cakes

Vegetarian Ventures | Breakfast Sweet Potato with Hibiscus Tea Yogurt & Turmeric Granola

Vidya Living | Rustic Rhubarb, Strawberry & Chamomile Galette (Gluten Free)

Will Frolic for Food | Lilac Lemon Grapefruit Sherbet (Vegan)

A Brown Table | Flourless Chocolate Cake with Orange Blossom Water & Strawberry Champagne Sauce

 

For more flowery inspiration checkout #frolicforflowers on social media!

lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold
  • Step 1

    lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold

    Cook the lentils per directions. While the lentils cook, quarter the 3 small beets, toss them with a bit of olive oil, s&p and roast at 400F for 15 minutes until tender.

  • Step 2

    lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold

    Reserve one beet for the dressing after roasting – combine all ingredients in your food processor or blender, taste for salt and pepper.

  • Step 3

    lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold

    Toss beet dressing with the cooked and drained lentils or assemble as shown. Toss citrus dressing with the baby greens. See the rest of the instructions below.

lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold lentil salad with browned butter baby turnips, sourdough bits, soft boiled egg, micro greens + marigold

 

Ingredients for the Lentil Salad

1 cup black lentils

2 small beets

6 to 12 baby turnips or radishes or 3 regular sized ones

2 eggs, soft boiled

your favorite sourdough bread torn into small pieces

a few generous handfuls of your favorite microgreens + edible flowers (I used mustard frill, micro marigolds, heart leaves, micro dianthus + sorrel)

two tablespoons butter for browning the turnips

two tablespoons of butter for the browning the sourdough bits

olive oil for roasting the beets

a pinch of cayenne and a drizzle of honey for roasting the beets

salt and pepper to taste

 

Ingredients for the Beet Dressing

1 small beet (roasted with the beets above)

3 garlic cloves (roasted with the beets above)

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

pinch of cayenne

drizzle of honey

salt and pepper to taste

 

Ingredients for the Light Citrus Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil

juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon honey

pinch of fine sea salt

 

Directions

Cook the lentils per directions. While the lentils cook, quarter the 3 small beets, toss them with a bit of olive oil, s&p and roast at 400F for 15 minutes until tender. Reserve one quarter piece for the dressing after roasting. Place sourdough bread pieces on a baking sheet – roast along with the beets, checking for toasty crispiness after 5 to 8 minutes. Boil the eggs to your liking – I just cooked them for 4 minutes here. Make the beat dressing – combine all ingredients in your food processor or blender, taste for salt and pepper. Make the citrus dressing – combine all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Heat up 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan, let this get nice and light brown and fragrant. Toss the sourdough bits into the butter to coat. Set them aside. Heat another 2 tablespoons of butter and let this also get nice and foamy and fragrant. Sauté the baby turnips – cut the bigger ones in half beforehand but you can keep the tiny ones whole. Cook for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Toss beet dressing with the cooked and drained lentils. Toss citrus dressing with the baby greens. Assemble as shown.

 

Notes

For more edible flower tips and tricks check out Shelly’s post!

I’ve made a previous version of this beet dressing before – check it out here.

More lentil salads: Roasted Fennel Salad with Lentils & Lemon Vinaigrette | Lentil Salad with Apricots, Pecans & Blue Cheese

 

 

  • http://londonbakes.blogspot.com Kathryn

    I love the sound of this! What a creative use of flowers and this salad is just so full of goodness of all different sorts. Perfect!

  • http://www.bakingmagique.com/ Thea @ Baking Magique

    This salad is absolutely gorgeous! And I can totally relate to having a blog as a creative outlet, it’s so much fun!

  • http://www.wholenourishment.net/ Katie @ Whole Nourishment

    Gorgeous, gorgeous lentil salad, on all levels. Your pictures, wow!

  • http://www.vidyacleanse.com/ Claire Ragozzino

    This! So beyond gorgeous, can’t wait to dig into that beet dressing. Happy May!

  • http://alittlesaffron.com/ Ileana Morales Valentine

    From here it looks like you’re a pro with edible flowers! I love lentil salads and this is the prettiest one I’ve ever seen. And browned butter?? I CAN’T WAIT to try this one!

  • kellymitchem

    beautiful as always!

  • http://www.willfrolicforfood.com/ Renee Byrd

    oh god. those soft boiled eggs. DROOL. i think it’s safe to say that this post is as beautiful as it is delicious. or as delicious as it is beautiful. needless to say, EXTREMELY on both counts. my eyes are popping out of my head and i’m doing cartoon double takes over this. YOWZA!!!!

  • Shelly West

    I know I’ve told you this like 10 times by now but WOW – this post is so so so so so beautiful and inspirational! I love all the close up texture photos of the ingredients and the plating…it’s all just too perfect! So in love with everything about this!

  • http://www.ingredient1.com/ Felicia Mogavero

    Your food photography is where art meets food. Absolutely gorgeous! So glad we discovered your blog through frolic for flowers.

  • http://thejoyfulfoodie.com/ Rholinelle Joy DeTorres

    This may just be the prettiest salad I’ve ever seen. A few years ago my cousin made me a salad with flowers, and I’ve wanted to recreate it but never have. Now this really makes me want to get my flower salad on!

    I keep hearing from multiple sources that Chef’s Table is awesome. Must get on that as well.

  • Meg | Bread+Barrow

    I love this so much! It looks gorgeous, and the styling is perfect. I want to go make some right now! Also, definitely need to check out Chefs Table…

  • http://www.gingerandtoastedsesame.com/ Sonja

    I LOVE this salad so much. Lentils are one of my favorite things to pack for lunch in salad form. That combined with the greens, flowers and that yolky egg is just a work of art. Even the parchment paper and plate with just the stains from the vegetables are beautiful. Blown away!

  • http://www.fixfeastflair.com Alana | Fix Feast Flair

    Pretty sure this is the loveliest lentil salad in all the lands. GORGEOUS. And the plating is 100% perfect. Gonna have to add Chef’s Table to the queue asap!

  • butter and brioche

    I don’t regard this post as a salad at all.. it’s more like edible art! Just beautiful! Xx

  • Anna

    this is absolutely beautiful!! thanks for sharing :)

  • http://myblueandwhitekitchen.com/ Sini│My Blue&White Kitchen

    These pics are beyond gorgeous! Those flowers and that runny egg yolk – what a perfect match. I truly enchanted.

  • http://lejusdorangeblog.com/ Betty Liu

    Um. Before I go on, can I just say, how the HECK did I know not your blog before Renee’s potluck? Your photos are fricking GORGEOUS. Your presentation is STUNNING. And NO I WON’T STOP WITH THE CAPS. This is BEAUTIFUL. I can’t stop oggling your photos.

  • http://www.primaverakitchen.com Olivia Ribas

    Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous post!! This salad is so beautiful!! I know I say this every single time I comment here, but your pictures are so beautiful and inspiring!! Love, love, love this salad!

  • http://www.kaleandcaramel.com/ Kale & Caramel

    Oooooooh girl! That beet dressing smear on your plates is absolutely beautiful. Adore this recipe, and am totally enchanted by the richness of color in every photo. Thanks so much for your beautiful work, Grace! And YES: I firmly, 100% to infinity believe that you are making the world a better place with what you do. (insert gold star and hearts and fireworks emojis)

  • Edlyn D’Souza

    Grace, you inspire me beyond belief and all I’ve read from your so far is this one post. Though I have been stalking you on instagram a lot sooooo whoops. I think I already told you how much I love those soft boiled eggs, right? I REALLLY DO. They are so adorable. I went through the step-by-step of this recipe and I’m amazed at the simplicity of it all. Easily something I’d add to my dinner list! You knocked it out of the park with this one. Keep doing this blogging thing. Life doesn’t always take you in the direction you expect but somehow as long as you do things with heart, it will work out.

  • http://www.whiskandshout.com Medha @ Whisk & Shout

    Your pictures are just perfection! I love all of the flavors here and that beet dressing :)

  • http://addalittlefood.com/ Millie l Add A Little

    This is beautiful Grace – what gorgeous photography!!