When I was in high school, my parents took my sisters and me to Paris. That trip shaped me in so many ways, most of them culinary. So many of the dishes I make even today were inspired by that trip.
One night, we went to a small, rustic restaurant in the heart of the city. The meal started with hunks of cheese, sausages, cornichons and a bowl of “country caviar.” The bread, cheese and meat were as delicious as you would expect, but it was that last item that blew us away.
It’s hard to believe that a trio of sisters from the South would get so excited over a bowl of what basically was just a cold lentil salad. But these lentils were different than the Indian lentils we had eaten in dal. They were small, greenish-black in color and didn’t lose their shape.
It was evident why the restaurant referred to the dish as country caviar. It looked like caviar. The lentils were perfectly cooked so that they were creamy and popped a little in your mouth. They were dressed simply with a homemade vinaigrette slightly pungent with sharp Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. Minced shallots, carrot and curly parsley added color, crunch and flavor. The dish was simple, but the combination was rich and the texture addictive.