Lentil Salad

Description
If black beluga lentils are unavailable, use the green Puy variety from France. (Common brown lentils are too floury for this dish.) Serves 10 persons.

Ingredients

 * 4½ cups (2 lbs.) black beluga lentils
 * 1½ cups vinaigrette (see below)
 * 1 cup (5 oz.) finely chopped shallots
 * 1 cup (6 oz.) hazelnuts, roasted, skins rubbed off and coarsely chopped
 * 4 tbsp. chopped parsley
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Vinaigrette

 * 6 tbsp. sherry vinegar
 * salt
 * 1⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil
 * 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
 * Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

 * 1) Rinse Lentils and pick over.
 * 2) Place in a large saucepan and cover with 3 quarts cold water.
 * 3) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer until tender, 10 to 20 minutes.
 * 4) (Time depends on freshness of Lentils; new crop can cook fast, so test often.)
 * 5) Drain Lentils and transfer to a large bowl.