Niçoise Salad

Rinse the produce. Add the French lentils, 2 cups water, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan over high heat. Bring the lentils to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Drain any remaining water and empty lentils into a medium bowl. While the lentils are cooking, move on to Step 2.

Dice the Japanese sweet potato. Add to a separate small saucepan, cover with at least 1 inch cold water, and set over high heat. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook until just tender, about 6 minutes. If you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork, the potatoes are done cooking. Drain immediately and set potatoes aside. Rinse the saucepan and fill with 2 cups water. Place over high heat to boil.

Peel and mince the shallot. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Once the water is boiling, drop in the haricot vert, and cook until bright green and just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse the beans with cold water to stop the cooking.

Add the minced shallot, walnuts, just 2 tsp of champagne vinegar, dijon mustard, and 2 tbsp olive oil to the bowl of cooked lentils. Season walnut lentil salad with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Rinse the small saucepan one last time and dry well. Add 3 tbsp olive oil and place over medium-low heat. Pick the tarragon leaves and roughly chop. When the olive oil is warm, add the chopped tarragon and a pinch of salt, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove tarragon vinaigrette from the heat.

Divide the spring mix between your plates. Add the Japanese sweet potato, haricot vert, cherry tomatoes, and walnut lentil salad. Drizzle with the warm tarragon vinaigrette, remaining champagne vinegar, and serve with cured black olives.