A green lentil salad brightens the day
I had a lot of ideas I wanted to share. In fact, thinking about it now as I write, I should have known that I was feeling ambitious.
That something would come in the way of my plan.
I wanted to tell you about Spring, and how excited I am that it is here, and that on the very first day of Spring, we visited the farm again. Not only because Lulu has been insistently asking to see les moutons et les poules first thing in the morning every day, but also because it was 70 F outsideoh yes it was!and while Lulu loves the farm because its like a enormous playground with funny-aha creatures inside it, I find it healing to see the animals, smell the ground and touch the grass, and have my boots covered with mud.
Then, I wanted to show you the parsley root parsley fritters I cooked.
The pear and chocolate tart I prepared last Thursday when Lulu was in daycare.
And even the strawberry cake I bakedand before you tell me that its not yet the season, I know. But the reality is that Ive been using and eating a lot of strawberries lately and yes, they even tasted good. And even better, they made me feel cheerful.
Well. I cooked a ton within the last week. Thats also therapeutic.
And I think we were just ready and prepared to see winter go and welcome budding flowers and trees dressing up in green again instead.
Really.
Its cyclical. Seasons are beautiful this way.
Friday was gorgeous, and Lulu and her friend R. played like best friends, running after each other, giggling together and huggingit was so cute to watch.
Saturday was almost as nice but perhaps a tad cooler.
Then Sunday.is when things started to turn sour. It was cold again.
We went out for a walk in the morning but came the afternoon and Lulu and I started to feel sick. With a cough first. Then a light fever. And while I felt better on Monday, my poor little one was actually sick. And it was snowing again.
So in the place of all these nice things I had planned to write about, I made a green lentil salad, and thought that at least I could tell you and write about that. I had just received a package with beautifully knitted dresses for Lulu from my motherHave I told you already what a wonderful knitter she is? Merci maman !and with it came the last issue of Elle a table magazine. A treat.
Thats where I found inspiration to make the salad. I am writing about my version of the recipe.
It felt good to eat warm green lentils with refreshing ingredients like finely shaved fennel, delicate quail eggs and crunchy pieces of apple and green asparagus. It was like having a slice of Spring in my plate.
I ate two servings. Yes. Just by myself while Lulu was napping upstairs. And then I finished with strawberries coated with sugar and yogurt on the side.
I was quite happy.
Even happier an hour later when I found a smile back on Lulus face who was finally hungry for lunch again.
I felt appreciative of what I had.
For 4 servings
You need:
For the dressing:
- Sea salt
- 2 teaspoons honey-flavored mustard
- 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice (about 2 small lemons)
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pistachio oil
For the salad:
- 1 cup French green lentils
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 twigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Sea salt
- 1 small fennel bulb, cored and finely sliced with a mandoline
- 12 quail eggs
- 1 apple, cored and finely diced
- 12 three-inch green asparagus spears
- Handful of watercress
- Fresh coriander, chopped finely
- Red peppercorn, crushed
Steps:
- To prepare the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, add the ingredients in this order: salt, mustard, lemon juice and shallot. Stir and add the oils. Emulsify with a small fork; set aside.
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