Warm lentil & smoked trout salad

I am a salad maniac, but in winter its usually warm food I crave. For that reason this dish is a great alternative. I recently learned how to cook lentils correctly. They need to be cooked almost as attentively as risotto. I love lentils and I love any smoked fish, to me this is a perfect marriage. But really you could use smoked trout or warm smoked salmon instead.

Ingredients
2 dl dried put lentils
1 file of smoked fish
3-4dl water
vegetable or chicken stock cube
1/3 radicchio salad head
2 stalks of celery
4-6 cherry tomatoes
a few stalks of flat parsley
1/2 carrot
1/2 onion

dressing - optional*
2 tsp french dijon mustard (or other strong mustard)
2 tbsp vinegar (balsamic or white wine)
1/2 lemon juice
salt & pepper
3 tbsp cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small clove of garlic

1. Chop the onion and carrot into dices 
2. Fry off the onions and carrot in a drizzle of cooking oil until glazed
3. Place the onions, carrots and lentils in a pan with the 3 dl of the water and bring to a boil 
4. Once the lentil water is boiling turn down the heat and allow to simmer 
5. Add the stock cube and then stir, allow to simmer for 30min. Add more water when the lentils look like they are 'dry'. 
6. taste the lentils after 30min, they should be soft and still hold their form 
7. Put the lentils to the side and allow to cool 
8. Chop the celery stalks into slices. 
9. Chop the parsley, discarding the thicker stalks 
10. Half the cherry tomatoes
11. * the dressing is optional, you could choose to simply drizzle the salad with a little cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. If you do choose to make the dressing begin by mixing the mustard, vinegar, minced garlic, salt & pepper. Then add the olive oil till all has emulsified. 
12.  Finally put everything together, as with any other salad. 
13. Dress withe the dressing or drizzle some extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. Both versions are delish.