Exotic lentil salad

Lentils are often overlooked as a salad ingredient but can add substance to a meal. This mix of colour also adds variety to green versions. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALAD:

400g tinned green lentils

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/ 2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 small red onion, fi nely chopped

85g dried apricots, roughly chopped 3 small peppers, seeded and chopped into small squares

100g broccoli, broken into small fl orets

50g fi rm goat’s cheese

2 tablespoons toasted sunfl ower seeds

FOR THE DRESSING:

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fi nely chopped fresh coriander

Salt and pepper

METHOD

1) Mix the lentils with the garlic and cumin in a bowl.

2) Add the onion, apricots, peppers and broccoli fl orets, and mix gently. Crumble the cheese over the top. Scatter over the sunfl ower seeds.

3) Make the dressing by putting the lemon juice, oil, coriander, and salt and pepper to taste into a large salad bowl and whisk together.

4) Add the dressing to the lentil mix and leave to stand for at least half an hour before serving.