Lentil Salad With Italian Sausage And Mustard Vinaigrette - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups green lentils or 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
3/4 lb Italian turkey sausage link, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup sliced green onion
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
Dressing
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
red leaf lettuce
4 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
8 radishes

Preparation

Cook the lentils in boiling water to cover for about 20-25 minutes or until tender; drain, rinse with cool water, drain and set aside.
Crumble the sausage into a large nonstick skillet.
Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until browned, break up the sausage with a utensil; set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix together the green and red peppers, celery, green onions, and parsley; add in the cooled lentils and sausage.
To make the dressing: whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper; pour over salad; toss to coat.
Line plates with lettuce leaves; spoon salad into the center; garnish with tomato wedges, eggs, and radishes.