Salade de lentilles du Puy

The French bistro classic: slate-green Puy lentils dressed warm with Dijon vinaigrette, lardons, and shallot

Origin: France

From the journey of Lentils.

The lentils of Le Puy-en-Velay, grown on the volcanic plateau of the Massif Central in the Auvergne, are unlike any other lentil. They are small, slate-green, and marbled with blue-black; they have a thin skin that requires no soaking and never becomes mushy; and their flavour, described variously as earthy, peppery, mineral, and faintly of the sea, is extraordinary. They received France's first PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) for a vegetable product in 1996. The salade de lentilles du Puy (dressed while still warm with Dijon mustard vinaigrette and enriched with lardons) is a cornerstone of the French bistro menu and one of the simplest great dishes of French cuisine.

Ingredients

Base

300 g Puy lentils (lentilles du Puy)

Cooking

1 onion, peeled and studded with 2 cloves
1 carrot, halved
1 stalk celery
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme

Enrichment

150 g lardons (smoked bacon, diced)

Dressing

2 medium shallots, very finely diced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper

Garnish

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method

Rinse the lentils. Place in a pot with the clove-studded onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover with cold water by 5cm. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until tender but still holding their shape.
While the lentils cook, fry the lardons in a dry pan over medium-high heat until golden and crisp. Set aside with their fat.
Make the vinaigrette: whisk together the Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Add the shallots, salt, and pepper. Taste; it should be sharp and mustard-forward.
Drain the lentils, discarding the vegetables. While still warm, immediately dress with the vinaigrette and toss to coat.
Add the lardons and their fat. Toss gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve warm or at room temperature, scattered with flat-leaf parsley. A poached egg on top is a classic Lyon bistro embellishment.

Notes

The Auvergne is one of France's great food regions, producing not only Puy lentils but also Cantal and Salers cheeses, excellent pork, and the thick bread soups of the mountain tradition. The salade de lentilles du Puy with a poached egg on top is arguably the defining dish of the Lyonnais bouchon: the small, carnivore-friendly bistros of Lyon, capital of French gastronomy.

The Gastrographer

Name: Salade de lentilles du Puy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 300 g Puy lentils (lentilles du Puy); 1 onion, peeled and studded with 2 cloves; 1 carrot, halved; 1 stalk celery; 2 bay leaves; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 150 g lardons (smoked bacon, diced); 2 medium shallots, very finely diced; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar; 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control