Green lentil and pea salad with char-grilled aubergine and Danish feta
Ingredients:
225g green lentils
½ onion
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3 cups of water
1 small aubergine (cut into 2cm cubes)
60ml olive oil
1 cup frozen peas
1 small red onion (finely chopped)
100g Danish feta
3 sprigs dill
30g pea shoots
60g fresh mint
Dressing:
6 tbl olive oil
2 tbl lemon juice
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the lentils in a saucepan with the onion, thyme and bay leaf. Cover with water and cook for 20 minutes until tender but still al dente. Drain, discarding the onion, thyme and bay leaf, and leave to cool. Heat a large nonstick frying pan and add the aubergine in batches, drizzling with olive oil as you go and turning until brown and charred on all sides. Remove and place on paper towel to drain. Place the frozen peas in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Drain immediately and add to the lentils, along with the red onion, Danish feta, dill, pea shoots and mint. For the dressing, combine olive oil with the lemon juice, sugar, Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Adjust to taste and pour over the lentils, tossing to coat.
