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Ingredients
FOR THE LENTILS
2 cups lentils washed and picked over
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, cut in half
1 medium carrot, quartered
6 cups water
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ cup broken walnuts

FOR THE DRESSING
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt
1 shallot, minced, or 1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt
freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Combine the lentils, garlic, bay leaf, onion, carrot and water in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste (1 to 2 teaspoons), reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes until the lentils are tender. Remove from the heat. and discard the onion, carrot, garlic cloves and bay leaf. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl.

Whisk together the vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and shallot or garlic. Whisk in the oil and 2 to 4 tablespoons of the liquid from the lentils. Stir into the lentils. Add the parsley and pepper, and taste and adjust salt. Spoon onto plates, arrange walnuts on top of the lentils, and serve.