Spicy Lentil Cakes with Miso Gremolata
Recipe: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • Lentil Cakes
  • 1 cup lentils (uncooked)
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½ small white onion
  • 1 jalapeño
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil + some for frying
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
  • ⅓ cup oatmeal*, uncooked
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Miso Gremolata
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, gently packed
  • ½ cup fresh basil, gently packed
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp white miso*
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. First, cook the lentils in the water as per the directions until soft. Drain any excess water, and set aside to cool slightly.
  2. In a food processor, combine the garlic, onion, jalapeño (seeded if you want less spice), and bell pepper. Pulse until they are finely chopped. Add the spices, olive oil, and tomato paste, again pulsing until incorporated.
  3. Add the cooked lentils and pulse a few times, so that the lentils are partially broken up but some are still whole. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the oatmeal, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
  4. Form the mixture into small patties and cook in a heavy saucepan with 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium (or slightly hotter) heat until crispy on each side.
  5. To make the miso gremolata, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Serve on top of the lentil cakes.
Notes
If you're going for gluten-free, make sure your oats are certified GF. I thought I could get away without the oatmeal the first time I made these, and my patties fell apart in the pan. Don't skip it! If you don't have oats on hand, you could sub in ⅓-1/2 cup of flour, or perhaps bread crumbs {Neither of those will work if you're going for gluten-free, unless they are deemed gluten-free!}. You may need to increase that amount, depending on the amount of liquid in your mixture.

Not all Miso is gluten-free, so make sure yours is!
Recipe by The Kitchen Paper at http://c02.ddd.mwp.accessdomain.com/spicy-lentil-cakes-gremolata/