Ingredients Print

Check off ingredients as you go

Serves 6

• 300 g (1½ cups) lentils (green or black)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tomatoes or 6-8 cherry tomatoes, cut into pieces
• 2 cucumbers (or 3 if they are small), thinly sliced
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 1 red onion (or sliced scallions)
• 200 g (7 oz) smoked salmon, cut into strips then into cubes

For the vinaigrette

• 2 tsp mustard
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 7 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper
• A few sprigs of fresh chives or chopped parsley

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

1. Rinse the black lentils thoroughly, then put them in a saucepan of water with the bay leaf (no salt, which would keep them from cooking properly) for 25 minutes or until tender. (The usual amount of water is 3 times the volume of the lentils; they will absorb a lot of it.)
2. While the lentils cook, finely dice the red onion (I cut thin slices and then cut them again the other way) and put it in a small bowl with the vinegar (this takes away the slightly sharp raw taste and gives it a pickled note).
3. In a salad bowl, cut up the salmon, tomatoes, cucumbers and avocados. In a small bowl, mix all the vinaigrette ingredients except the chives (or parsley).
4. Rinse the lentils under cold water and drain them, season with salt (not too much, since the smoked salmon is already salty), then add them to the salad bowl with the red onion and salmon.
5. Pour in the vinaigrette, mix well and serve chilled with a little fresh chopped chives added at the last minute.

Tips and variations

• Served as a main course for 6, I use 500 g (2½ cups) of lentils.