Horseradish lentils with red cabbage and leeks

Around our house, lentils are a go-to dish. I eat them over a big green salad or with a bowl of roasted veggies while the husband prefers them with his turkey sandwiches. When the weather is warmer, we eat them cold and in the winter months, we eat them warm. The contents of the salad normally depend on what I have in the fridge, but we've kept the dressing consistent lately. 

Josh had a lentil salad he couldn't stop talking about from a trip to Paris a few years ago. Needless to say I had to figure out what was in it. After much tinkering, we determined that it must be horseradish. The spiciness of the cruciferous vegetable mixed with tangy dijon mustard, lemon juice, and nutty walnut oil is irresistible.

You can use green, french or black lentils in this salad, but don't use pink lentils, since they become mushy when cooked. Save those for that dal or curry. I used store-bought horseradish, but you can easily make your own if you can get your hands on some horseradish root. It's really just a mixture of the root with water, salt, and vinegar.

Horseradish lentils with red cabbage and leeks

2 c lentils, cooked

1 tbsp olive oil or ghee

2 leeks, cleaned and sliced thinly

1 celery stalk, small dice

2 garlic cloves

1.5 c finely shredded red cabbage

1/4 c parsley, chopped

1 heaping tablespoon of horseradish

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp dijon mustard

3 tbsp walnut oil

salt + pepper to taste

Saute leeks and celery in olive oil over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic cloves and a pinch of sea salt, cooking until fragrant, about a minute. Add the cabbage, cooking for about 5 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened a bit. Add your lentils to the pan and cook until warm. Remove from heat, add to a large mixing bowl along with the parsley. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, and pour over the lentils. Mix well.