Puy Lentil & Goats Cheese Salad – from The Parlour Cafe Cookbook

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200g Puy lentils
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• a handful of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 150ml extra virgin olive oil
• 3-6 garlic cloves, peeled & roughly chopped (I use 6, but it all depends on how feisty you like it)
• 50ml red wine vinegar
• 100g goats cheese
• a large handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the lentils in boiling water for 20 minutes until they are absolutely tender. Meanwhile, fry the onions, carrots, celery, thyme and the bay leaf in a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil until soft and lightly coloured.

In a food processor or with a hand blender, blend the garlic with the rest of the olive oil. With the motor still running, slowly pour in the vinegar and blend until it’s emulsified.

Drain the lentils and pour out onto a flattish dish. Smother in the garlicky dressing and turn gently so everything is glistening. Once the vegetables are cooked, gently mix them into the lentils and leave the salad to cool. Then toss gently with the goats cheese, torn into chunks, and the parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper if you think it needs it.

Buy The Parlour Cafe Cookbook by Gillian Veal here.