Recipe: Lentil on my mind

THE LAST recipe for cooking with mint is for lentil salad. It was submitted by Gwen White of Cricklade, Wiltshire. She found it in The Greens Cookbook. It is delicious.

Minted Lentil Salad

Serves 6 as side-dish

Ingredients: good olive oil

8oz (225g) Puy lentils

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

salt

2 red bell peppers

3tsp chopped mint

2tbs chopped parsley

1/2 tsp each of chopped thyme and marjoram

8oz (225g) feta cheese, cubed

freshly ground black pepper

Vinaigrette: juice of 1 lemon

1/4 tsp paprika

pinch cayenne

1 clove garlic, minced

Preparation: Peel two strips of zest off lemon and julienne or mince. Mix 3tbs lemon juice with the zest, paprika, cayenne, garlic and good pinch salt. Whisk in 6tbs oil and adjust seasoning. Rinse lentils, cover with 1 1/2 pint water, and bring to boil with carrot, onion, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer until just cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Halve, core and de-seed peppers. Grill until skin is well charred. Place in a bowl covered with a plate for 10 minutes. Scrape off skins. Slice or chop. Fold the warm lentils into the vinaigrette. Add herbs and roast peppers, reserving a few strips of pepper and a little mint. Adjust seasoning. Serve with feta tossed over, together with remaining peppers. Drizzle some olive oil over; sprinkle with mint.