Mediterranean Lentil and Herb Salad
Firm green lentils dressed while warm with lemon and olive oil, then folded through a mass of fresh herbs.
Method
- Rinse the lentils and put them in a pot with the bay leaf, the whole garlic clove and plenty of cold unsalted water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Start testing at 18 minutes; green lentils turn to mush quickly once they pass the right point.
- Drain well, discard the bay leaf and garlic, and season with salt while still hot.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together until emulsified.
- Pour half the dressing over the warm lentils and stir. Dressing them warm is the key step: they absorb the lemon and oil as they cool, instead of sitting in it.
- Spread the lentils on a wide plate to cool to room temperature, which also stops them cooking further.
- Fold through the cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions and the remaining dressing.
- Add the herbs last, just before serving, with the feta if using, and toss gently.
- Taste and adjust lemon and salt; the salad should be assertively sharp.
How to make Mediterranean Lentil and Herb Salad
Lentils dressed while warm and loaded with herbs are a constant across the Mediterranean, from Levantine tables to Greek and southern French kitchens. The salad keeps well, travels well and works as a side dish or a light meal on its own.
Dress the lentils warm
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Warm pulses absorb dressing; cold ones repel it. Pour half the lemon and oil over the lentils the moment they are drained, and the difference in flavour is immediate and obvious.
Do not overcook
Green and Puy lentils should keep their shape and a slight bite. Start tasting at eighteen minutes, and drain the moment they are tender; a few minutes more turns the salad into a purée.
Salt at the end of cooking
Cook the lentils in unsalted water, which keeps the skins from toughening, then season them as soon as they are drained and still hot.
Herbs last
Fold the parsley and mint in just before serving so they stay bright green. If you are making the salad ahead, prepare everything else, keep it refrigerated, and add the herbs and feta at the table.
A Mediterranean-style salad built on the lentil and herb combinations common across the region. Editorially researched from widely documented preparations, and not kitchen-tested by Axadle.
Naturally free from gluten, egg and nuts. Feta, if added, contains dairy.
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