Fresh Start For Fall
August 28, 2003

I caught a bad case of the back to school buzz while I was at Staples this morning and now I’m in a fever pitch to clean my kitchen. Just like my kids with their fresh notebooks and sharp pencils, I want to feel renewed and ready for fall. I’m making an audit by scrubbing down every surface and reevaluating equipment needs. I’m cleaning out drawers and cabinets and tossing the stuff I haven’t used in six months. While I work, I make a grocery list to restock the pantry, and I’ll pick up some fun items to experiment with such as curry paste and sesame tahini. Any excess pans or utensils go to the refugee resettlement project. If I recycle my massive cookbook collection, I’ll have room for the new volumes that are forming tall cairns around my home. My favorite arrival is A New Way to Cook by Sally Schneider, it’s the Joy of Cooking for the 21st century. I won’t forget to repot herbs, add some pretty mums to brighten things up, and refill grain jars with new product from Healthy Living: bulgur, barley, couscous, a variety of rice, beans and lentils (the tiny French green ones, not the brown!). As a reward, I’ll take a field trip to Fresh Market on Pine Street to restock our wine rack with delicious bargains. Afterward I’ll cross the parking lot to Great Harvest Breads and grab a couple of their delectable loaves made with freshly milled flours, perfect to serve with my savory French Lentil Salad. You know, I’m beginning to like this back to school buzz, keep it coming!

French Lentil Salad
Boil 5 cups of water and add 2 cups of green French Lentils, cook covered for 17 minutes. Strain and pour into a workbowl.

In a food processor chop 3-4 garlic cloves, then add 4 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard, ½ cup red wine vinegar, kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste. Pluse lightly. With motor running, drizzle in ¾ cup of excellent olive oil. Adjust seasoning for taste; it should exude a pungent flavor. Pour dressing over cooled lentils, mix well, then plate portions. Sear 8 ounces of shrimp or scallops in a little oil on high heat and heap on top of lentils. Serve with fresh sliced tomatoes, lemon and sea salt; makes 2 large or 4 small plates.

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, Jeff, and three college–aged daughters who come and go. ©2008