Beluga Lentil Caviar
Makes about 3 cups of lentils, and approximately 50 lentil-topped crackers (1 TB of lentils per cracker)
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time50 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 50 crackers
Calories: 34kcal
Beluga Lentil Salad:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 leek, sliced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- ½ cup white wine
- 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup black beluga lentils, rinsed and sorted
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
For Serving:
- 1 package buttery crackers (or sub vegan crackers)
- cream cheese, to serve (or sub vegan cream cheese)
- fresh dill, to serve (optional)
In a large saucepan or wok, heat oil on medium until it begins to shimmer.
Add leek, carrots, celery and salt, and sauté 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, and add wine. Allow wine to cook down for 1-2 minutes, then lower heat to medium. Add tomatoes, and sauté 1-2 minutes.
Add lentils, bay leaves, and 2 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer about 40 minutes until most of the water has cooked down.
When lentils are finished cooking, remove bay leaves.
To serve: Smear crackers with cream cheese, and top with lentils and dill (optional) right before serving.
Serving Tips:
- These hors d'oeuvres WILL GET SOGGY if left to sit. Add the lentils as you're serving.
- Alternatively, arrange the crackers with cream cheese on a tray, and allow guests to scoop their own lentil salad on top.
- Your 'faux caviar' will look a lot less like real caviar if your veggies are showing. Make sure to finely dice your carrots and celery.
Recipe Variations:
- (Not Vegan): Add the rind from a wedge of Parmesan cheese into the lentils when you add the tomatoes. By the time the lentils finish cooking, it will have melted into the lentil dish.
- Skip the tomatoes, and add 1 TB Dijon mustard, ¼ cup olive oil, and 2 TB red wine vinegar.
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Nutrition information is for 1 lentil-topped cracker, made with 1 TB of lentils per cracker. Calories for cream cheese are an estimate.
Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Potassium: 20mg | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.5mg