Please try this salad. It has become a firm favourite in our house, it is a lovely mixture of refreshing [orange zest and juice] and satisfying [nutty puy lentils]. And it looks pretty. We added a bag of watercress instead of parsley. Serves 2
For the dressing:-
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp orange juice
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
For the salad:-
250g dried puy lentils, rinsed
Bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
Half a red onion, finely sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
30g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Handful of parsley leaves [we used watercress, rinsed]
1 tbsp orange zest First, cook your puy lentils. Rinse the lentils and put into a pan, covering with clean cold water. Add a bay leaf and 5 black peppercorns. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are nutty, but not squashy. Drain into a sieve and rinse with cold water. Remove the bay leaf and set aside to cool. Dry roast the hazelnuts in a small frying pan.

Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well and serve at room temperature. The recipe by Mimi Spencer is, unbelievably, a diet recipe!

5 to remember
las lentejas – the lentils
refrescante – refreshing
que llena – satisfying [meal]
una avellena – a hazelnut
el berro – the watercress

‘Fast Cook’ by Mimi Spencer [UK: Short Books]