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–+ servings

French Green Lentils

Side Dishes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Dale
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 medium shallots, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 2½ tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 head garlic
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 medium carrots, halved crosswise
  • 1 rib celery, halved crosswise
  • 1 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds
  • 6 sprigs thyme, tied together
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1½ cups (10 oz) French green lentils, sorted and rinsed
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
  • ½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a liquid measuring cup, combine the vinegar, shallots, and one teaspoon salt. Set aside. Meanwhile, cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high, combine the garlic, water, carrots, celery, mustard seeds, thyme, bay leaves, and one teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaves.
  • Return the pot to medium-high and stir in the lentils. Return to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the garlic and set aside. Drain the lentils, reserving the liquid, then transfer the drained lentils to a large bowl. Stir in the vinegar-shallot mixture and let cool to room temperature.
  • Squeeze the pulp from the garlic into a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, the oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir the garlic mixture, the parsley, and half the walnuts into the lentils—taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and top with the remaining walnuts.

Notes

Do not substitute with brown lentils.
Adapted from a Milk Street recipe that is no longer available online without a subscription.  The only change I made was to delete the 2 ounces of crumbled gorgonzola cheese as this dish was part of a pareve meal.  If you want to include the cheese, mix in half of it when you add in the garlic mixture, parsley and half of the walnuts.  Use the other half as a topping with the remaining walnuts.