Serves 4
A simple lentil salad is a great thing to serve for lunch or as a side dish for dinner. It is easy to prepare, and quick to assemble, and can be pulled together at the last minute, particularly if you keep some cooked lentils in the fridge for quick, healthy meals. This is just one variation on how to use lentils in a salad setting. Don’t let the instructions throw you off, though; once the lentils are cooked, pairing them with just about any leafy greens will create a beautiful presentation. Salad, chard, and kale all work well; make the choice based on what you have available to you.
Ingredients
1 cup dried green or Puy lentils
1 bay leaf
1 head of butter, green leaf or little gems lettuce, or any lettuce that is readily available
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 small shallots, chopped fine
¼ cup of parsley, chopped
½ cup of feta cheese, crumbled
Red wine or balsamic vinegar
Dijon mustard (or any other mustard available)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Rinse and pick over the lentils, removing any rocks.
Place lentils in a medium sauce pot. Cover with three inches of water.
Bring pot to a boil. Add bay leaf and lower to a simmer.
Cook lentils until they are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Place ½ of the minced shallots into a bowl add ¼ cup of red wine or balsamic vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of mustard. Set aside.
Wash, dry and chop salad to bite sized pieces. Set aside.
Drain lentils and set aside to cool.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sized sauté or frying pan.
Over a medium low flame, saute remaining chopped shallots, minced garlic, and ½ tsp of salt and pepper in pan for five minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic or shallots.
Add drained lentils and mix thoroughly, coating the lentils in the oil.
Turn off flame. Set aside.
Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of oil to the vinegar mixture, whisking vigorously to make a thick dressing.
Dress the salad, and plate.
Stir parsley and feta in with lentils, combining ingredients thoroughly.
Place a large scoop of the lentils on top of the plated salad.
Come and Cook with Us 