Lentil Salad Provencal

Chef Kate's Note:

While you can certainly make this anytime, for me this is a salad for outdoors -- a picnic, a terrace. Wonderful served over mixed baby greens and eaten with good bread and a glass of wine. Prep time does not include time for cooling the cooked lentils.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

For the Lentils

• 1 ½ cups green lentils
• 3 cups chicken stock (I use homemade, unsalted)
• 3 cups water
• 1 garlic clove , peeled and pierced with a fork (you can use more)
• 1 carrot , peeled and finely diced
• 1 stalk celery , finely diced
• 1 teaspoon herbes de provence
• 1 bay leaf , preferably fresh
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 3 scallions , finely chopped, including green tops
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley , chopped
• 1 tablespoon capers , drained and chopped
• ½ cup fresh goat cheese , crumbled (or, my preference, mild feta)
• mixed baby greens (or the salad greens of your choice)

For the vinaigrette

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse and pick over lentils.
2. Put lentils in a four quart saucepan with stock, water, garlic, herbs, carrots, celery and bay leaf.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook, gently, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until lentils are soft but not mushy.
4. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature.
5. Remove garlic and bay leaf.
6. Mix in scallions, parsley and capers.
7. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, add to the lentils and mix gently.
8. At this point, you can allow the salad to sit a bit at room temperature to allow the flavors to marry, or refrigerate, but it is best served at room (or picnic) temperature.
9. To serve, place greens on individual plates and mound lentil salad on top.
10. Sprinkle halved cherry tomatoes and crumbled cheese over the lentils.
11. Bon Appetit!

Reviews

[NWVeggieGirl]

I didn't think I was a lentil fan until I tried this salad....amazing! The feta made it extra tasty. I didn't change a thing about the recipe and I thought it was perfect. A must have salad for Summer!

[evelyn/athens]

Great salad for summertime eating, and this in one that would be easily transportable to a cookout or bbq (with the dressing in a little jar). Loved the different flavours and textures. I used a mild feta, as Kate suggested, Dodonis brand. Really delicious.

[tigerduck]

This is a fantastic lentil salad. The good thing is it gets better and better the longer you keep it. I used French goat cheese to be consistent with the origin of the recipe, but I can see that feta will work wonderfully too. I really enjoyed the creamy chesse with the lentils. I added salt and pepper to the cut cherry tomatoes, before I mixed them with the lentils. I did not use the salad greeens, as I took the salad to a barbecue. I will include this salad as part of a Mediterranean buffet for 180 people and will prepare it two days in advance to make sure that all the flavours will be able to develop. Thank you Kate for a keeper.