We eat a lot pulses during winter time: chickpeas, lentils, beans are fundamental in my pantry and I use them for soups, minestrone, purees, veg burgers…

But when summer arrives and we crave for fresher food, my approach to them changes, also because I can use fresh pulses (fava beans, green peas). While dried pulses become main characters in my summer salads.

Speaking about pulses and legume: do you know the difference? According to Harvard University, “a legume refers to any plant from the Fabaceae family that would include its leaves, stems, and pods. A pulse is the edible seed from a legume plant”.

In this post you will find inspirations to use legume and pulses, together with a special summer salad I created using rhubarb in a savoury recipe.

Enjoy your reading and your cooking then!

RED LENTILS, SPINACH AND TOMATO SALAD
(main picture)

Ingredients for 1 person
100 g cooked red lentils
1/2 coeur de beouf tomato
10 fresh spinach leaves
1 top of a onion spring (the green part)
sesame seeds
lemon scented olive oil (or you can mix 2 spoons of extra-virgin olive oil with some lemon juice)
salt

Time: 10 minutes

Let’s cook!

Cut the tomatoes in slices.
In a bowl, put the cooked lentils, then add the tomato, the spinach leaves, the sesame seeds.
With scissors, cut the top of the spring onion and add it to the salad. Season with the aromatic oil and salt. Mix and serve.

SAUTÉED FAVA BEANS (POD TO PULSE), GREEN PEAS, SPRING ONIONS

Ingredients for 2 persons
6 fava bean pods
150 grams frozen peas
1 spring onion
salt
pepper
fresh mint
extra virgin olive oil
ice cubes

Time: 15 minutes

Let’s cook!

Wash and peel the fava beans, shelling them and separating the pods from the pulses. Cut the pods and steam them in the microwave, in a glass container with a lid, for 1 minute and 30 seconds maximum (750 C degrees in my case). Dip the pods into a bowl with cold water and ice. Drain them and put them aside.

In a pan, sauté the sliced onion with a drizzle of oil. Add the peas and sauté them for a few minutes so that they cook but remain crisp.

Add the  steamed broad bean pods and fava beans (the pulses), tossing them with the rest of the vegetables for a few minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh pepper, fresh mint and flaked salt.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND SPINACH SALAD WITH RHUBARB MAYO

Ingredients for 2 persons

10 asparagus
10 little spring onions
1 stalk of rhubarb
15 spinach leaves
extra virgin olive oil
honey
ricotta salata (or feta)
salt
pepper
almonds

Time: 20 minutes

Let’s cook!

Cut the vegetables into even pieces: cut the rhubarb in small sticks, remove the harder part of the asparagus (the roots), divide the bulbs of the spring onions from the tops.

Steam the rhubarb sticks into the microwave using a in a glass container with a lid, for 45 seconds at maximum heat (750 C degrees in my case). Set them aside.

Steam separately also the asparagus (750 C degrees, 60 seconds) and the spring onions (750 C degrees, 45 seconds).

In a bowl, toss the asparagus and the bulbs of the spring onions, coating them with a spoon of olive oil. Massage them to distribute the oil on their surface. Stir-fry them for 5 minutes in a pan, until they are golden crispy.

Prepare the rhubarb mayo using an immersion blender: mix the cooked rhubarb with 2 spoons of olive oil and 1 spoon of honey, for a few seconds, until you have a creamy texture.

Compose your salad in a big plate: put the spinach in the bottom, add the ricotta salata in thin slices (from 5 to 8 slices), then the roasted asparagus and the spring onions. Season with the rhubarb mayo, adding olive oil if you like and black pepper. Complete with the tops of the spring onions, cutting them with scissors, and the sliver-cut almonds.

Enjoy 🙂