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    © 2015 by Emily Cohen and mylifemymenu.com

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    Cold french lentil salad

     

    Ingredients:

    1 cup brown lentils (I prefer "pardina" or "de puy" - they keep their shape better and don't get mushy)

    1 1/2 cups cold water

    2 teaspoons salt

    2 bay leaves

    2 sprigs thyme

    2 shallots or 1/2 cup Vidalia or Spanish onion, chopped

    2 cloves garlic, chopped

    2 large carrots, peeled and diced small

    2 large celery stalks, diced small

    2 teaspoons thyme, chopped

    3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    salt

    black pepper

     

    Dressing:

     

    1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

    3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

    salt

    black pepper

    3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

     

     

    Directions:

    Rinse the lentils and pick through them to make sure there are no small stones or twigs. Put in a medium pot with the water, salt, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. After 15 minutes, taste for doneness. You do not want the lentiils to be too al dente, but you don't want too mushy either. Keep tasting every 4 minutes till its tender. Drain any excess water in a strainer and let it air dry in the strainer for an additional 20 minutes. Make sure to remove the bay leaves and thyme stems.

     

    Heat a large sauté pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic and a sprinkle of salt. Cook for 4 minutes. Add the carrot, celery and thyme with the last tablespoon of oil and another sprinkle of salt. Add a sprinkle of (fresh) black pepper. Turn off the flame.

     

    Add the lentils to the pan and toss everything together so the lentils are really coated with the vegetable mixture.

     

    In a separate bowl, whisk together the Dijon, vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil drop by drop to form a cohesive emulsified dressing.  Dress the lentils 30 minutes before serving.

     

    NOTE:

    If you are preparing the lentils the day before make sure to take them out of the fridge 1 1/2 - 2 hours before serving so it isn't too cold when you are ready to eat.