Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Prosciutto

Total time: 30 minutes
    We sautéed the walnuts and half of the ham in butter to enhance the flavor and add crunch to the salad.   I use the tiny green French lentils - du Puy.  You could use larger brown lentils but not the red ones, they get too mushy.

 Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup lentils
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef stock
• 1/2 (4oz, 120ml) cup water
• 4 slices Prosciutto or other dry-cured ham  about 3oz (90gr)
• 1/4 cup whole walnuts  about 1oz (30gr)
• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tbs fresh snipped chives     substitute 1 tbs dried
• 2 tbs fresh snipped parsley     substitute 1 tbs dried
• 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tbs salad olive oil
• 1 tbs walnut oil
• 1 tbs sherry vinegar 

 Instructions:

• Rinse and pick through lentils (in case quality control missed the odd stone). 
• Put in a small sauce pan along with stock and water and bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat, cover and cook until done - about 20 minutes.  Taste to determine when done properly. 
• Drain any excess cooking liquid and set aside.
• Heat butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add walnuts and sauté about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 
• Roughly chop 2 slices of Prosciutto and add to walnuts.  Sauté until Prosciutto is crisp, another 4 - 5 minutes. 
• Remove and break walnut halves in half.  
• Snip herbs. 
• Just before serving mix oils, soy sauce, mustard and vinegar in bowl large enough to hold lentils. 
• Add lentils, chopped ham, walnuts and herbs and mix well. 
• Cut remaining 2 slices of Prosciutto in half the long way.  Arrange in a circle on 2 plates. 
• Spoon lentil salad in the center and serve.