I often eat this salad for lunch in the summer months, it keeps beautifully in the fridge for several days. I make a big batch and then serve some up with a chunk of crusty bread on the side each day. It’s a great side for BBQs and is easily portable for picnics, or use it to make up a large plate of salad composée with lettuce leaves, tuna, hard boiled eggs, sweet in-season tomatoes, olives – all the lovely summery things really.
I’ve given rough quantities for the dressing here, but it’s really a matter of taste. I like it to be fairly punchy with vinegar, with the edge taken off by the honey. Sometimes I mix olive oil and sunflower oil together depending on what I have to hand. Taste as you go and adjust until you love it. Remember that the flavours develop as the lentils marinate in the dressing, so for best results make this a few hours before serving. Save any leftovers in a tuppware in the fridge for up to five days.
Serves 6
800g tin prepared lentils (530g drained weight) or two small tins, drained or 2 x pouches of prepared lentils*
¼ cucumber, diced
½ red pepper, diced
Large handful cherry tomatoes, diced
½ shallot, diced
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
5-6 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper
1 small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 block of feta, chopped or crumbled into cubes
Drain your lentils and tip into a large bowl. Add the chopped cucumber, pepper, tomatoes and shallots. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey and pour over the lentils. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir through the chopped parsley and crumble over the feta. Allow to sit for an hour or so if you can, it gets tastier with time. Taste before serving and adjust the dressing with more vinegar, honey or olive to your liking.
*France is particularly good at tinned pulses. I buy lentilles preparées, which are the ones cooked with herbs and carrots to give them extra flavour. You can find this sort of thing in most supermarkets in the UK and I’m told in the US too, or you can use the handy pouches of pre-prepared lentils. Of course, if you have the time and inclination you can buy dried lentils and prepare them yourself – I’m sure they’re extra lovely, but I never have time for that sort of thing. This recipe works equally well with tins of mixed beans and pulses
