Smoked chicken, lentil and sautéed jerusalem artichoke salad
This is a bit of a dinner party number – at least that’s the way I’ve often used it – but it also makes a good lunch dish. You can find smoked chicken breasts in larger supermarkets and delicatessens.
Ingrediënten
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of caster sugar to taste
- salt and pepper
FOR THE SALAD
- 3 smoked chicken breasts skin removed
- 350 g 12oz Jerusalem artichokes, peeled
- good squeezes of lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion very finely chopped
- ½ celery stick very finely chopped
- ½ small carrot very finely chopped
- 150 g 5½oz Puy lentils
- 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 100 ml 3½fl oz double cream
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 100 g 3½oz baby salad leaves (I like baby spinach and lamb’s lettuce)
Instructies
- Make the vinaigrette by simply whisking everything together with a fork.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge so that it’s not fridge-cold when you add it to the salad.
- Cook the Jerusalem artichokes in boiling salted water, to which you’ve added a good squeeze of lemon juice (this stops the artichokes discolouring).
- Once they’re just tender, but still have a little bite (after 10–15 minutes), drain and slice them into rounds about 5mm (¼in) thick.
- Set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the regular oil in a saucepan and gently sauté the onion, celery and carrot until soft but not coloured.
- Add the lentils and turn them over in the oil.
- Pour in 500ml (18fl oz) of water, season, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are just tender.
- This could take 20–35 minutes depending on the age of the lentils, so keep an eye on them; they can turn to mush very quickly.
- Drain them.
- Stir in 2 tbsp of the vinaigrette and the parsley while they are still warm.
- Heat the cream with the garlic, season with salt and a good squeeze of lemon juice and stir this into the warm lentils, too.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of regular oil in a small pan and sauté the artichoke slices until coloured and cooked through.
- (Be careful not to cook the artichokes so much that they start to fall apart.
- ) Cut the chicken into neat slices.
- Toss the salad leaves and the artichoke slices with some of the dressing – don’t use it all – and divide between six plates, arranging them in the centre.
- Spoon the lentils around this and arrange the smoked chicken on top.
- Drizzle each serving with a little more dressing (you don’t have to use it all) and serve immediately, with any remaining dressing on the side.
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