If you have plenty of time to make dinner, you can whip this dish up in a flash. Never mind that the procedure looks a little bit complicated, I can honestly tell you now that these two will pair up the best with each other.

This recipe is excerpted from French Revolution Food.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

For the lentils

1 tablespoon light olive oil

2 shallots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1/2 small carrot, finely diced

1 small celery stalk, finely diced

1 1/2 cups French lentils du Puy

1 bay leaf

A handful of parsley stems (optional)

3 cups water

For the shrimps

12 jumbo shrimp

1 tablespoon olive oil

zest of 1/2 lemon

For the salad

2 tablespoon walnut oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

Procedure:

- Sauté the shallots, garlic, carrot, and celery in the olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat until just fragrant and translucent—3 to 4 minutes, because they are chopped so finely.

- Add the lentils, bay leaf, parsley stems, and water. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then cover, and simmer on low heat for 25 minutes. Then remove the lid, and boil for 5 minutes. Drain the lentils.

- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400°F.

- Toss the shrimp with salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the lemon zest. Spread onto a baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes.

- While the shrimp roast, make the dressing by whisking together the walnut oil, white wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard with salt and pepper.

- Toss the warm lentils gently with the vinaigrette and the tomatoes. Perch the shrimp on top.

The salad can be served warm, cold or indifferent. It’s all up to you. This rustic and healthy salad, together with the shrimps, will make for a perfect dinner with the whole family.