Dairy Free

This marinade may be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for 2 days.

The lentils can be made up to a day in advance and the salad assembled at the last minute. Poached or grilled chicken breast would produce equally appetizing results.

We serve this salad on whole-grain toast as an open-face sandwich, but it is also delicious mounded on a bed of crisp salad greens.

Although fresh mackerel can be hard to find, smoked mackerel is often sold in the refrigerated section of supermarkets; it is also available from mail-order sources. We used the peppered variety, but any type will do.

The broth left over from poaching chicken breasts makes a delicious soup base. Refrigerate it in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks; bring to a boil before using.

This recipe makes more than you will need for the salad; serve extra sauce on the side so guests can help themselves. Unused sauce can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Rock shrimp are small and a bit sweet. You can also use small regular shrimp.

Ground, toasted rice adds crunch and a slight nuttiness to this salad. Thai basil, available at gourmet and farmers’ markets, has a licorice flavor, but you can use regular basil instead.

You can use tarragon in place of chervil.