After a long break due to heavy workload, I return with a lentil salad that has taken me a while to perfect. To be honest, up until this recipe, I have never enjoyed a lentil salad, there was always something missing for me. But this is an exciting mouthful of various vegetables, feta, and a lot of vinegar (legumes, especially cold, do not taste the same without a proper amount of acid), that leaves you going back for more and more.
The quantities of the vegetables are for 500 gr of lentils, and will generously feed 4 - 8 people as a main or side.
Lentils:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the lentils, and turn heat down to maintain a steady simmer. Cook the lentils for 25 - 35 minutes according to the brand, drain and refresh under cold running water.
Peppers, 1 pc of each of green, red, orange, yellow, deseeded and cut in very small cubes
Celery, 4 thin small stalks, cut very very thinly, this is important because it has a strong taste and can easily overpower all other flavours in the bite,
Onion, 1 medium pc, cut in very small cubes
Parsley (or coriander, or a mix), very thinly cut, at least 1/4 cup
Feta cheese, small cubes, 1 cup
Mix everything well in a big bowl.
Start adding the seasoning little by little tasting after each addition to find the right balance between salt and acid that will allow all flavours to come through. For the seasoning use:
Salt
Black Pepper
Vinegar, at least 1/3 cup (trust me), I Iike to use a mixture of apple cider and balsamic in a ratio of 2:1