Lentil, Roasted Pepper and Feta Salad

Ingredients

• 300g puy lentils, rinsed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
• 3 red peppers, deseeded and cut into thick strips
• 2 red onions, cut into thin wedges
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp runny honey
• 200g feta cheese, crumbled, to serve
• 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves roughly torn, to serve
• 50g walnuts, toasted and roughly broken, to serve
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
• crusty bread, to serve
• Greek yoghurt, to serve
• mixed leaf salad, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan. Tip the red pepper strips and red onion wedges onto a large baking tray — spread them in a single layer with room to breathe, because crowded vegetables steam instead of char. Drizzle with the olive oil, scatter over the oregano and chilli flakes, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
2. Roast for 25–30 minutes until the peppers are soft and slumping with blackened edges and the onion tips are caramelised and sticky. You want real colour here — pale roasted peppers taste of nothing.
3. Meanwhile, tip the lentils into a medium saucepan with the bay leaves and crushed garlic cloves. Cover with cold water by at least 5cm and bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Cook for 20–25 minutes until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape — they should give easily under a spoon without collapsing into mush. Drain well, fish out the bay leaves and garlic, then season the warm lentils generously with salt and pepper. Lentils take more salt than you think; season them now while they're hot and thirsty.
5. While the lentils cook, toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking often, until they smell nutty and look a shade darker. Tip onto a plate immediately — they'll burn in the residual heat of the pan.
6. For the dressing, finely grate the garlic clove into a small bowl. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and honey. Taste it — it should be sharp, glossy and properly seasoned. Adjust with salt and a touch more lemon juice if it needs lifting.
7. Tip the warm drained lentils into a large serving bowl and pour over two-thirds of the dressing. Toss well — warm lentils drink up dressing the way cold ones never will, so don't wait.
8. Pile the roasted peppers and caramelised onion over the lentils and spoon over the remaining dressing. Taste again and adjust the seasoning now, not at the table.
9. Scatter over the crumbled feta, torn parsley leaves and toasted walnuts. Tuck the lemon wedges around the bowl and serve straight away with crusty bread, a bowl of Greek yoghurt and a mixed leaf salad alongside.