As I’ve (Amelia) been studying for my IB French Oral exam this month, my mind has been falling to all things French. The architecture, the language, the culture, and, of course, the food. Not the fancy coq au vin plates so much as simpler, salade ménagère types of dishes. The simple side of French cooking, the one that prefers quality ingredients to complicated processes. This is is the philosophy that our lentil salad follows, using the impeccably-hued French green lentil as its base and an easy method anyone can follow.

The world is full of lentils worth celebrating. This one shines when it joins hands with a shallot, simple vinaigrette, crunch, and a little tang to make an elegant and satisfying side salad.

French Green Lentil Salad

Serves 4 to 5 as a side dish

1 tablespoon olive oil (or other vegetable oil)*
1 shallot
1 cup French green lentils
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 rib celery, sliced thin
Squeeze of fresh lemon
2 radishes, sliced thin (optional)
3 tablespoons chevre (optional)

Sauté shallot in 1 tablespoon oil for three or four minutes. Add lentils and sauté for another minute. Add salt and 3 cups water. Bring water to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. They should have a little (1/4 cup?) water still in the pot when they are finished. Don’t drain them unless there seems to be more than 1/2 cup water.

Measure red wine vinegar.

Pour vinegar and oil over lentils before they have a chance to cool. Stir. Add the celery and optional radishes, many grinds of fresh pepper, and stir again. Then freshen it up with a little fresh lemon juice.

You can serve this salad right away or put in the refrigerator for a day. But wait until just before serving, to add the optional goat cheese and stir it in as little as you can to incorporate it into the salad—you want it to remain in discreet clumps and overstirring will turn it into a murky sauce.

Vegan: if you want to skip the goat cheese, then you need to replace it with something tangy. Chopped green olives and cornichons both work well.