Summer Salads

I love bank holidays! Who doesn't!

Although I have to admit, I didn't have the most productive one...well my debit card did, as did my wardrobe...but I was finally able to cook and eat some some of my favourite foods; Indian on the Saturday evening, Sushi for lunch on Sunday and dinner on Monday, and finally a trip to my favourite cafe in London, Ottolenghi. Delicious!

I couldn't quite wait till Monday to get my Ottolenghi fix, so on Sunday evening, after a day shopping, dinner was to be an array of Ottolenghi inspired salads;

Portobello mushrooms stuffed with a basil infused pearly barley salad

Puy Lentil, red and yellow pepper, sun-dried tomato and coriander salad

Char grilled broccoli with red chilli, garlic and slivered almonds

chilli roasted butter nut squash

Summer Lentil Salad

Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

2 table spoons olive oil

80 grams dried puy lentils

300 ml vegetable stock

1 small red onion (finely chopped)

1 red chilli (finely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

2 sprigs or fresh thyme

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 a red pepper (2 cm diced)

1/2 a yellow pepper (2 cm diced)

small handful sun dried tomatoes (chopped)

handful of chopped coriander

salt and pepper

Method:

1. Wash and drain the lentils

2. Place a pan over a medium heat. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, chilli, garlic, cumin and thyme and cook for a couple of minutes.

3. Add the peppers and cook for a further few minutes.

4. Add the lentils to the pan, along with the stock and seasoning. Leave to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (add more stock if looking too dry)

5. Finally mix through the sun dried tomato and coriander.

Sprinkle with a little extra coriander to serve.

Why cant we have a bank holiday every weekend??