Lentil salad with beets
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the beets on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue roasting until the beets are tender, about 30 minutes more. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and set aside to cool.
- Put the lentils into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add the onion, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently until barely tender, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
- Stir the leeks, celery, and carrot and a pinch of salt into the bacon drippings. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Keep warm over very low heat.
- Drain the lentils and discard the onion, bay leaf, and thyme stems. Add the lentils to the skillet and stir gently to coat. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar, the thyme, and the mustard. Stir in the bacon, beets, and walnuts. Stir in enough walnut oil to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve warm or at room temperature.
- What else works? You can replace some or all of the beets with cubes of roasted sweet potato. Follow the directions on page 329 to roast the potatoes.