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By Root 295 0

who gave me my first set of kitchen pots. While she claims to be completely uninterested in cooking, my grandmother amazes me with her refined palate and ease in the kitchen. This is her recipe. It is simply divine.

1/2

cup green or black lentils

2

pounds golden potatoes, with skin on, quartered

1/2

cup chopped red onion (about 1/2 small onion)

1/4

cup capers, drained

2

tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2

cup olive oil

1

tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring 1½ cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the lentils and cover with a lid. Simmer for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Set aside.

2. Put the potatoes in a medium to large pot and cover with lightly salted water. Boil the potatoes until fork-tender, about 35 minutes.

3. Drain the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the lentils, onion, capers, and parsley and mix well. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper and stir until just mixed. Serve warm.

wild rice and chicken waldorf salad

SERVES 6 TO 8

This is what I call a meaty salad. The rich nuttiness of the wild rice, the poached chicken pieces, walnuts, and mayonnaise make it a hearty one-dish meal. For some reason men really appreciate this salad; it must be all that chicken. It tastes best when chilled.

1/2

cup wild rice

2

teaspoons peppercorns

1

whole skinless boneless chicken breast

2

tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2

teaspoons Dijon mustard

1

teaspoon honey

1/4

cup plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

1

carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1

celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1

cup grapes, preferably purple, quartered

1

small green apple, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and soaked in lemon juice

1/2

cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Romaine lettuce leaves, coarsely chopped (optional)

1. Bring 1½ cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Add the rice, cover, and simmer for 50 to 55 minutes, until tender. Drain the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.

2. Pour 7 cups of water into a medium pot and add the peppercorns. Bring to a boil and add the chicken breast. Lower the heat to medium and cook the chicken until cooked through but not rubbery, 20 to 25 minutes. Check for doneness by slicing into the center of the chicken with a knife. Drain the chicken and let cool. Remove any peppercorns that may have stuck to the chicken. Cut the chicken into ½-inch cubes, discarding any fatty bits.

3. Whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.

4. Combine the rice, chicken, carrot, celery, grapes, apple, and walnuts in a medium bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Serve the salad over a bed of romaine lettuce leaves, if desired.

* * *

did you know. . .

Grapes are one of the more pesticide-intensive crops on conventional farms. The growers’ heavy reliance on pesticides shows up in the number of different types of residues found. Twenty-four percent of 739 grape samples tested in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture had 3 or more types of residues, and 2.1 percent had 6 or more. Imported, conventionally grown grapes topped the list of fruits with a Dietary Risk Index (DRI) level of 282. This relatively high score reflects residues of several high-risk organophosphate insecticides, which are classified as carcinogens.

* * *

white bean and tuna salad with fresh mozzarella, red onion, and balsamic vinaigrette

SERVES 6

I consider this salad a meal. Every summer when I arrive in Italy, it is one of the first things I make. I always use the vine-ripened tomatoes and arugula from my father’s organic garden. This salad is just so darn easy to make and tastes so darn delicious. The Italian-inspired flavors make it perfect for alfresco dining on a hot summer day, and it’s simultaneously light yet filling.

1

large bunch arugula, coarsely chopped (about 5 cups)

2

plum tomatoes, seeded, and cut lengthwise into