French Lentil, Beet & Asparagus Salad

Straight away, I must be forgiven for eating out of season asparagus. I am so yearning for the spring months and am in denial about the dark days of February.

I love French green lentils, sometimes called Lentils de Puy, particularly in salads. They are quite sturdy and hold up to most any dressing. A couple roasted, cubed beets add lovely color and a sprinkling of salty pepitas and piquant minced preserved lemon infuses this faux-spring salad with some zip. I’m trying to eat more beets and pepitas since the New York Times tells me I should, along with all the other superingredients. This salad is a good start.

For four servings:

1 cup French green lentils

1 carrot, peeled and diced

2-3 beets

1 cup pencil thin asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths

2-3 wedges preserved lemon, well rinsed, pulp discarded, rind minced

3 tablespoons roasted and salted pepitas

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

For white wine vinaigrette:

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1 shallot, diced

10-12 fresh mint leaves

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Up to 2 days before, roast the beets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim off the ends and place the beets on a large sheet of foil. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper. Make a sealed packet, and place in the oven. Roast for 45-60 minutes. Let cool, peel, and cube. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Add the lentils to a pot, cover with salted water, add the carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Drain and set aside. In another pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes, just until tender. Drain, place in an ice-water bath to cool and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the cooked lentil/carrot mixture, the cubed beets, the asparagus, the preserved lemon and the pepitas. Combine thoroughly.

In a blender add all the vinaigrette ingredients and blend until thoroughly emulsified. Add the vinaigrette to the lentil salad to taste, adjusting the salt and pepper if necessary.