A very good lentil salad from ” The Really Helpful Cookbook” by Ruth Watson. The salad will benefit from being made ahead and sitting in the dressing for a day or two.The tapenade in this recipe does not include any anchovies so it is suitable for vegetarians. You could use ready made tapenade if you like or put anchoiade on the toast instead. Any leftover tapenade can be kept in the fridge for up to a week to serve with drinks .
Ingredients
- 6 free range eggs
- 12 slices slim baguette
- extra virgin olive oil
- 250 g puy lentils
- 1 tbsp Marigold Swiss Bouillion powder
- 1 large stick celery
- a handful flat leaf parsley
- a few sprigs fresh tarragon
TAPENADE:
- 250 g black olives stoned
- 2 tbsps capers rinsed and drained
- 2 plump garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp brandy
DRESSING:
- 1 tbsp smooth french mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove peeled, crushed and finely chopped
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 100 ml groundnut oil
Servings:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C Fan, Gas 7 for the toasts.
- Bring the eggs to room temperature and boil for exactly 6 minutes. Run them under cold water for a few minutes, then peel and halve. Set aside.
- Lay the slices of baguette on a heavy baking sheet and drizzle each piece with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and cool.
- Put the lentils into a large saucepan and cover them with water by about 3 cm. Stir in the Marigold powder and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, half covered, for about 30 minutes or until just tender. Test them regularly to ensure you don't overcook.
- Make the tapenade. Either smash all the ingredients to a roast paste in a pestle and mortar or whizz to a rough paste in a food processor using the pulse function. Set aside.
- For the dressing, whisk the mustard, vinegar and garlic together then gradually add the oils, whisking continuously to make a thick emulsion. Season then pour the dressing into a bowl large enough to take all the lentils.
- Drain the lentils then tip into the bowl with the dressing. Toss thoroughly. Finely chop the celery, parsley and tarragon leaves and stir in. ( If the salad is being made in advance to be refrigerated don't add the herbs until about an hour before serving.
- When ready to serve spoon the salad on to serving plates and garnish with the eggs and the toasts spread generously with the tapenade.
Share this Recipe
Powered byWP Ultimate Recipe