Lentil Salad

It's a lazy Thursday night and one of the longest days of the year... still sunny and light out. Perfect for a lentil salad. This one is based on a recipe from one of my hands-down, absolute favorite cookbooks of all time - Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Finally, it feels like summer around here!

Lentil Salad
1 cup French green lentils, picked over
Salt and freshly milled pepper
2 red or yellow bell peppers, roasted and chopped
Lime-cumin Vinaigrette (see below)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
2 ripe tomatoes (or sweet 100's), chopped
1/2 cup feta, crumbled in large chunks
12 Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1-2 persian cucumbers, chopped

1. Cover lentils with water in a small saucepan, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until tender but still a little firm (25-30 mins).
2. Drain lentils and toss while warm with the peppers, vinaigrette, parsley, and mint. Taste for salt and season with pepper.
Serve warm or cold. (I especially like this at room temperature).

Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette
1 garlic clove
Salt
Grated or minced zest from 2 limes
2-3 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped scallion or finely diced shallot
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cumin 
1 teaspoon coriander
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Mince the garlic, sprinkle with salt and crush with the tines on the back of a fork to make a paste. In a bowl, combine  garlic, lemon juice, coriander and cumin. Whisk in the mustard and oil. Taste and adjust balance as needed. Let the dressing stand at least 15 minutes; add the cilantro just before using.