Serves: 4-6

This dish is delicious warm or at room temperature. Serve as a side or main vegetarian dish with pita or Naan and a yogurt-herb sauce.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup whole *toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1 cup Puy or Spanish small lentils

4 cups water

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried

1 small celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into

1 Tbls. lemon juice or white vinegar

4 Tbls. olive oil

3 Tbls. hazelnut oil

3 Tbls. good-quality red wine vinegar

sea salt and black pepper

4 Tbls. chopped mint

Methods:

1. Bring a pot with the 4 cups of water to the boil. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of cold water to which you have added the lemon juice.

2. Slice away the celery root skin with a sharp knife, cutting in more towards the center of at the base where the root is more gnarled (the dirt gets swirled into the flesh a bit here.)

3. Slice the root into “french fries” about 3/8-inch thick or into 1/2-inch cubes. Immediately drop into the lemon-water to keep from discoloring.

4. When the celery root is cubed, drain and drop into the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Test several pieces so that you don’t overcook it. Strain the root out and set aside in a bowl.

5. Add the lentils, bay leaf, and thyme to the water. Bring back to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a sieve.

6. Place the hot lentil immediately into a bowl and toss with the olive oil, 2 Tbls. hazelnut oil, vinegar and S&P. Toss well and check for seasoning.

7. To serve right away, toss in half the mint and hazelnuts. Garnish with remaining mint. 8. To serve cold, wait for everything to cool before adjusting seasoning. Add the hazelnut oil, mint and nuts and toss.

To toast hazelnuts, preheat the oven to 275˚F. Toast on a baking pan for about 15 minutes until lightly browned. Place in a clean dish towel and rub the nuts to remove the skin. *You can also buy them at Whole Foods or Trader Joes pre-toasted and loosely skinned.

Yogurt-herb Sauce: blend minced fresh mint, dill and/or parsley with thick Greek-style yogurt.

Adapted from Plenty, Yotam Ottolenghi