Salade de Lentilles Vertes (Green Lentil Salad)

The most prized French green lentils come from the village of Le Puy, where the soil is particularly suited to growing these earthy green treasures.

Difficulty Level: Facile


What you need:

• 1 cup French green lentils
• 1/2 medium onion, cut in half (2 quarters) and stuck with 2 cloves
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

What to do:

1. Rinse the lentils thoroughly. Place lentils, onion, garlic and bay leaf in a medium-size saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of sugar and a splash of vinegar to cooking water. Bring to a boil and then let simmer, 25-30 minutes, adding water as needed.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, oil and salt in a small bowl. 
3. Remove lentils from heat and coat lentils with dressing. Season with pepper and serve warm.

Serves: 2-4 Bon Appetit!

Taboule Provencale (Seasoned Couscous Salad)

The fine semolina grain from north Africa appears in many forms of French cooking. A popular item on cafe menus is the salade de couscous, also known as tabouleh. Instead of using bulgar in their tabouleh salad, the French often use couscous, which is slightly more refined...just like the French! This recipe is adapted from Bistro Cooking by Patricia Wells.

Difficulty Level: Facile


What you need:

• 1/2 cup precooked couscous
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded and chopped
• 5 thin scallions, white bulb cut into thin rounds
• 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt, to taste

What to do:

1. In a small bowl, place chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, scallions, lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and set aside. 
2. Place the couscous in a medium-size bowl, fluff with a fork and stir in the dressing. Taste for seasoning. 
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, but no more than 4 hours. Adjust seasoning before serving, adding additional lemon juice or salt to taste.  Serves: 2   Bon Appetit!

Avocado et Grapefruit Salade

For the French, salads are often the main midday meal....perhaps one reason why Frenchwomen don't get fat? Peut-etre. This simple yet elegant summer salad is a nice way to brighten up the day (and keep the waistline trim.)

Difficulty Level: Facile (Easy)

What you need:

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt, to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 large red grapefruit

What to do:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slowly mix in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
2. Cut avocado in half, removing the seeds and skin. Dip each half in the vinaigrette to keep from turning brown. Peel the grapefruit and cut between the membranes to release the segments. Arrange the grapefruit on two plates. Cut the avocado in wedges and and arrange them between the grapefruit segments. Serve with the vinaigrette. Bon Appetit! Serves: 2