Ingredients:

1 large bunch rapini, chopped
1 3.9 oz tin smoked trout in oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons nonpareil capers
8 oz cooked Beluga lentils*
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Directions:
Place the rapini in a pot with 2 inches of water, bring to a boil and cook until the rapini starts to wilt and is bright green. Drain and place in a large bowl. Set aside.

Drain the oil from the trout into a small bowl, whisk in vinegar and capers. Pour over the rapini. Chop the trout. Add to the bowl along with the lentils and onions. Serve hot or at room temperature.

*Tip: many stores, include Target, sell these fully cooked in vacuum-sealed packets. Simply heat them according to package instructions.

My thoughts:

One of my favorite leafy greens is rapini and it is just coming into season now. It can be bitter but lightly steaming it yields a more peppery flavor than a bitter one. It is a bit early in the year for a traditional salad so I thought I’d make this lentil speckled one. It is packed with flavor thanks to the smoked trout and capers; a wonderful combination of peppery, smoky and salty. Beluga lentils are one my absolute favorite lentils. Like French du Puy lentils, they hold their shape unlike other lentils which get soft and mushy making them great for salads, side dishes and soup.