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Overloading the Machine
Warm Lentils with Vinaigrette
From The Boston Globe Magazine, Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven, 2005 March 27.
Serves 4.
- 1 quart water
- 1 cup French Le Puy lentils
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
- 4 scallions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the lentils, turn down the heat, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender but still have some bite.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, and vinegar until the salt dissolves. Whisk in the mustard. Add the oil in a thin steady stream, whisking until the dressing emulsifies.
When the lentils are cooked, drain them into a colander. Transfer the lentils to a bowl. Spoon half of the dressing over the lentils while they are hot. Stir gently. Let them sit until they are just warm.
Add the onion, scallions, and parsley. Stir and add enough dressing to coat the lentils.
Notes: Haven't tried it yet.
You see, I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty
attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool
takes in all the lumber of every sort he comes across, so that the knowledge
which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with
a lot of other things, so that he has difficulty in laying his hands upon it.
Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his
brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing
his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect
order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and
can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every
addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of
the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out
the useful ones.
-- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "A Study in Scarlet"
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