Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 200 g french puy lentils, dry, rinsed and picked over
- 750 ml vegetable broth
- 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 g english cucumber, diced
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 80 g kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 15 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 lemon zest
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 5 g fresh thyme, leaves picked and minced
- 1 garlic, minced or grated
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the rinsed lentils and vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil at 100°C/212°F over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the lentils are tender but still retain a slight bite.
Drain any excess liquid from the cooked lentils using a mesh strainer. Transfer the warm lentils to a large mixing bowl and allow them to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, minced thyme, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the vinaigrette is fully emulsified.
Pour half of the vinaigrette over the slightly warm lentils and toss gently. This allows the warm lentils to absorb the flavors deeply.
Add the cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley to the lentils. Pour the remaining dressing over the top and toss to combine.
Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese. Let the salad rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to marry.
Chef's Notes
- Dressing the lentils while they are still slightly warm is a crucial technique. The heat opens up the lentil structure, allowing them to absorb the vinaigrette like a sponge rather than just being coated by it.
- If preparing this a day in advance, leave the cucumber and fresh parsley out until just before serving to maintain their maximum crispness and bright color.
- The Dijon mustard in the dressing acts not only as a flavor component but as a powerful emulsifier, keeping the oil and lemon juice suspended together.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Flavors will continue to meld and improve on the second day.
