Warm Lentils with Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups black lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• smashed
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 small bundle fresh thyme
• 1/2 carrot
• peeled
• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 1/2 red onion
• peeled
• root end left on
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil
• for sauteing
• 1/2 carrot
• finely diced
• 1/2 fennel bulb
• finely diced
• plus fennel fronds
• for garnish
• 1/2 onion
• finely diced
• 1 clove garlic
• smashed
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. For the lentils: In a large saucepan, combine the lentils, bay leaves, garlic, celery, thyme, carrot, fennel, red onion and a good amount of salt.
2. Add water to the pan until it covers the ingredients by about 2 inches.
3. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
4. Cook until the lentils are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Ladle off 1 cup of the lentil-cooking water and reserve.
6. Remove all the vegetables and aromatics from the lentils and discard.
7. Drain the lentils.
8. For the warm salad: Heat a large saute pan with enough olive oil to coat the pan.
9. Add the diced carrots, fennel and onions and sweat the vegetables about 5 minutes.
10. Add in the garlic and saute 1 minute more.
11. Add in the lentils, red wine vinegar and mustard.
12. Pour in a couple tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid and cook down for a couple minutes.
13. Season with salt and garnish with chopped parsley and fennel fronds.