Earthy French green lentils tossed warm in a bacon-fat shallot vinaigrette with Dijon and red wine vinegar, folded with crisp bacon, wilted spinach and parsley.
Good with a soft-boiled or fried egg on top for a full meal. Crumble in a little goat cheese just before serving if you like.
Keeps 3 days refrigerated; rewarm gently in a skillet or serve at room temperature.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 ½ cups French green lentils
- 6 cups water for the lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 oz thick-cut bacon
- 2 shallots
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 oz baby spinach
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 ½ cups French green lentils
- 6 cups water for the lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 oz thick-cut bacon
- 2 shallots
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 oz baby spinach
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Cook the lentils
Bring French green lentils (1 ½ cups), water for the lentils (6 cups) and bay leaf to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook until tender but still holding their shape, about 22 minutes.
Drain in the colander and discard the bay leaf, about 1 minute.
Equipment: medium saucepan, colander
Crisp the bacon
Cook thick-cut bacon (6 oz) in the skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.
Lift it onto paper towels and pour off all but a couple of spoonfuls of fat.
Equipment: large skillet
Make the warm vinaigrette
Cook shallots in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until soft, about 3 minutes.
Stir in garlic (1 clove) until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Take the skillet off the heat and whisk in Dijon mustard (1 tbsp), red wine vinegar (3 tbsp), olive oil (2 tbsp), kosher salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (½ tsp), about 1 minute.
Equipment: large skillet
Toss and serve
Add the warm lentils and baby spinach (3 oz) to the skillet and toss until the spinach just wilts, about 2 minutes, then fold in the crisp bacon and flat-leaf parsley (½ cup) and serve warm.
Tomorrow's Meal
Smoky Lentil and Bacon Soup
Leftover lentil salad simmered with stock and a can of tomatoes into a quick, hearty soup.
Quick overview:
- 1.Add the leftover salad to a saucepan with chicken stock and a little crushed tomato.
- 2.Simmer over medium heat until hot and slightly thickened.
- 3.Mash some lentils against the pot for body.
- 4.Finish with a splash of vinegar and fresh parsley.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Good with a soft-boiled or fried egg on top for a full meal.
- • Keeps 3 days refrigerated; rewarm gently in a skillet or serve at room temperature.
- • Crumble in a little goat cheese just before serving if you like.
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