French Lentil Salad
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/4db21a9c-41c8-4778-b8f5-94b69d3259e9
Original source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026766-french-lentil-salad?art=100000007823311

Bright with flavor, dynamic and crisp with a combination of roots and chicory, and fresh with major herb appeal, this is a hearty, friendly, anytime salad that will work well with any grocery or farmers’ market haul. It can easily become a staple in your home: You can make it on Sunday and eat it throughout the week, its flavors changing as it marinates. Because of this, it’s also a salad you can adjust as days go by, adding more lemon here and there, maybe some cheese to change up its flavors after a day or two. Sturdy enough to stand alone as a light meal in and of itself, this lentil salad also makes a fantastic side served with roasted chicken or fish. This is one special and easygoing recipe to have on hand for all occasions.
Yield: 9 cups
Prep time: PT30M
Cook time: PT40M
Total time: PT1H10M

Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried lentils (preferably French green lentils)
- 5 thyme sprigs, plus 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
- 5 small rosemary sprigs
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 medium shallots, trimmed, halved and sliced lengthwise (about 6 ounces)
- 2 to 3 small garlic cloves, minced
- 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced (about 8 ounces)
- 1 small head radicchio, halved, cored and thinly sliced (about 6 ounces)
- 1 large bunch parsley leaves and stems, finely chopped (about 4 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped dill
- 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon leaves

Instructions
1. Sort through lentils, removing any small pebbles or stones, then rinse lentils well. Using kitchen twine, tie the thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs and bay leaves together in a small bundle to form a bouquet garni. (While not essential, this will make it easier to discard the herbs after cooking.)
2. Add lentils and bouquet garni to a large pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil on high then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 12 to 20 minutes, depending on the type of your lentils. Discard the bouquet garni. Drain the lentils and rinse with cold water. Line a sheet pan with a towel and pour lentils out evenly onto the pan to dry and cool.
3. While the lentils cook, prepare the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, mustard, honey, thyme leaves, half the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper; whisk well. Add the shallots and garlic and mix well to combine.
4. Stir in the carrots and radicchio to coat, then add the cooled lentils and toss again. Stir in the parsley, dill, tarragon and half the lemon zest.
5. Taste and adjust the seasonings for salt and pepper. Finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice to taste and a few more pinches of lemon zest. This salad can keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but it likely won’t last that long. The flavor will improve with time, but you will need to readjust the seasoning again upon serving.