Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups French green lentils
  • 4 cups chicken/veggie stock or water
  • 2 large shallots, diced
  • 1 rib of celery, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • a few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon good vinegar (I like champagne, yuzu, or red wine)
  • 1 teaspoon German mustard
  • 3-4 ramps, diced
  • a few sprigs of fresh dill
  • 1/2 cup pepitas
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Rinse lentils and add them to a saucepan with the stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  2. Add the diced shallot, celery, and carrot to the lentils and cook for another 10 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, ramps, dill, salt, and pepper.
  4. Strain the lentils, remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs, add lentils to the bowl and stir to coat them in the dressing. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
  5. Let sit for a few minutes to let the lentils and veggies cool a little, then stir in the pepitas.
  6. Serve slightly warm or at room temp and sprinkle feta on top. It’s also delicious served cold.

Wild ramps are in season here in New England and I’ve been enjoying their lovely flavor in a number of different dishes. Last year I made this French lentil salad and it was an instant favorite on the Thanksgiving table. This week I decided to adjust the recipe a bit based on what I had available at home, including some fresh ramps, and I love it even more!

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