Lentil Salad with Kielbasa

Watch Pierre demonstrate this recipe on his cooking show Cuisine Rapide: Nuts About Lentils. He serves it with an accompaniment of string beans and red peppers.

INGREDIENTS

8 cups water
1 pound dried lentils
4 carrots, scraped and diced (about 1 ¼ cups)
1 stalk celery, diced (about ½ cup)
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
4 kielbasas (Polish sausages), about ¾ pound, sliced diagonally
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup corn oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
¼ cup red-wine vinegar
1 cup chopped parsley
Freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION

1. Put the water in a large saucepan. Wash the lentils in a colander and add them to the pan. Add the carrots, celery, bay leaf, and pinch of salt and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
2. When the lentils are cooked, drain the mixture and put in a bowl. Remove the bay leaf. Sauté the kielbasa in 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat one minute. Add it to the lentils with the onion and garlic.
3. Put the mustard, vinegar, and remaining 1 cup oil in a bowl. Mix with a fork or whisk. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the lentils and mix. Serve lukewarm or cold.

YIELD

6 servings