Maple Seeds & Créme Fraîche

Cooked like lentils with crispy shallots.

Maple seeds taste taste similar to edamame, but with a pronounced woodiness that is tempered when boiled. In this recipe, they’re cooked and served like a french lentil salad, nestled on a swirl of créme fraîche. Eat this with a baguette, or serve it for lunch, topped with sardines.

“I liked it!” -my partner, who doesn’t always like things

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh maple seeds + 1/4 cup brown lentils (dry)
OR 1/2 cup brown lentils (dry)

1/4 cup créme fraîche
1/4 tsp whole grain mustard
1 shallot, peeled and sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
olive oil
salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the dry lentils. Cook until tender, 15-20 minutes, then drain from the pot and set aside. Add the fresh maple seeds to the pot, and boil until seeds soften and the water has turned a rust color, 8-10 min. Drain the maple seeds and set aside.

2. While the lentils and maple seeds are boiling, heat a glug of olive oil in a pan set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced shallots. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are golden brown all over. Strain the shallots, and reserve the oil.

3. Mix the cooked lentils, maple seeds, whole grain mustard, and crispy shallots. Add lemon juice and salt to taste.

4. Spoon créme fraîche onto a plate and top with the the maple-lentil mixture. Drizzle with a tbsp of the reserved shallot oil, and serve with a baguette or sardines.

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