The dish was simple, but the
combination was rich and
the texture addictive.
A simple, healthy
lentil salad tastes
anything but
W
By ELIZABETH KARMEL
Associated Press
French Lentil Salad
Start to fi nish: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
1 cup dried small green lentils (French len-
tils or lentilles de Puy)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small carrot, fi nely chopped
2 medium shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
Directions:
1. Place the lentils in a mesh strainer and
rinse with cool water. Discard any gravel or oth-
er debris.
2. Place the lentils in a 4-quart saucepan,
then add enough water to cover by 2 inches.
Set over medium-high heat and bring to a gen-
tle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then
simmer until the lentils are just tender but not
falling apart, about 15 minutes. When lentils
are done, drain them, then return them to the
saucepan and cover. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mus-
tard, vinegar and a pinch each of salt and pep-
per. While continuing to whisk, drizzle in the oil
and whisk until fully combined and emulsifi ed.
4. Drain any lingering liquid from the len-
tils, then place them in a medium bowl. Add
the vinaigrette, carrot, shallots and parsley.
Toss gently, taking care not to smash the lentils.
Taste and adjust the vinegar and salt, if neces-
sary. The dressing should have a hint of mustard
and enough acidity to off set the richness of the
lentils.
5. Serve the salad warm, room temperature or
chilled. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
When I was in high school, my parents took
my sisters and me to Paris. That trip shaped me
in so many ways, most of them culinary. So
many of the dishes I make even today were in-
spired by that trip.
One night, we went to a small, rustic restau-
rant in the heart of the city. The meal started
with hunks of cheese, sausages, cornichons and
a bowl of “country caviar.” The bread, cheese
and meat were as delicious as you would ex-
pect, but it was that last item that blew us away.
It’s hard to believe that a trio of sisters from
the South would get so excited over a bowl of
what basically was just a cold lentil salad. But
these lentils were different than the Indian len-
tils we had eaten in dal. They were small, green-
ish-black in color and didn’t lose their shape.
It was evident why the restaurant referred to
the dish as country caviar. It looked like caviar.
The lentils were perfectly cooked so that they
were creamy and popped a little in your mouth.
They were dressed simply with a homemade
vinaigrette slightly pungent with sharp Dijon
mustard and red wine vinegar. Minced shallots,
carrot and curly parsley added color, crunch and
Nutrition information per serving:
320 calories; 170 calories from fat
(53 percent of total calories); 19 g
fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats);
0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohy-
drate; 8 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 10 g
protein; 230 mg sodium.
AP Photos/Matthew Mead
This French lentil salad can also be enjoyed as a snack.
12 | January 15, 2015 | coastweekend.com
Try making this French lentil salad.
tion was rich and the texture addictive.
We couldn’t stop eating it. I asked the owner
of the restaurant what they were, and he wrote
the name, “Lentilles du Puy” down on a piece
of paper and told me I could buy them at a little
grocer nearby.
Lentilles du Puy — often labeled green
French lentils in the U.S. — are grown in the
rugged mountainous region of Auvergne in the
south of France. Only those grown near Puy-en-
Velay can be called lentilles du Puy. They are
grown in volcanic-rich soil and much like old
vine grapes are left to grow with no fertilizer
But you will make them because they taste so
good, are easy and very satisfying.
Happily, the recipe traveled well, and my
sisters and I make the salad often. It is a side
dish that goes with just about everything. And
this time of year, when I am paying penance
for all my holiday indulgences, I am excited to
make food that is both healthy and delicious.
Editor’s Note: Elizabeth Karmel is a barbecue
and Southern foods expert. She is the chef and
pitmaster at online retailer CarolinaCueToGo.
com and author of three books, including
“Taming the Flame.”