European · 40 min · Easy · 4 servings

French Lentil Salad

Name: French Lentil Salad
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1⅓ cups green or Puy lentils, rinsed; 1 bay leaf; 1 carrot, finely diced; 2 stalks celery sticks, finely diced; 1 red onion, very finely diced; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 2 garlic cloves, grated; ½ cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped; 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped; 1 handful fresh dill, chopped; 1 lemon, juiced; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste

Firm green lentils dressed while warm in a sharp Dijon vinaigrette, with plenty of shallot, herbs and walnuts. Good hot, better after an hour, excellent from the fridge.

~440 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

gluten-freesoy-freehigh-protein

Plan it:

Method

1
Cook the lentils
⏱ 25 min
Put the lentils in a pot with the bay leaf and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender but still holding their shape — Puy lentils should keep a slight bite, not collapse.
2
Make the vinaigrette
While they cook, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic and lemon juice together in a large bowl with a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper.
3
Dress warm
⏱ 10 min
Drain the lentils well, discard the bay leaf, and tip them straight into the vinaigrette while still hot. Warm lentils absorb dressing; cold ones repel it. Stir and leave to cool a little.
4
Fold in the rest
Fold through the carrot, celery, red onion, walnuts, parsley and dill. Taste and adjust with more vinegar or salt — it should be noticeably sharp.

Notes

Contains walnuts. Do not salt the cooking water heavily — it can toughen the skins; season in the dressing instead. Keeps for four days and is arguably best on day two.

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Method

Cook the lentils

Make the vinaigrette

Dress warm

Fold in the rest

Notes