Lentil Salad with Feta Cheese and Fried Onion

by Rita Lobo


Whenever I serve this salad people either ask for the recipe or are at least curious about the ingredients that make this salad so exquisite and delicious. It can be served warm, room temperature or cold. You can use pignoli nuts or any kind of nuts you like and toast just like the almonds. The cheese you can skip  if you don't have it handy BUT the onions really give that special touch.

Dressing

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 soupspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped mint leaves

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside

Salad

1 cup lentil

2/3 cup raw almonds (slivered or sliced) 

1 large yellow onion

1 cup canola oil

100 g feta cheese

Toast the almonds in a small skillet over medium heat. Keep moving the skillet so they don’t burn. When the almonds are tan and releasing a perfumed smell they are ready. Transfer immediately to a bowl.

Peel and slice the onion very fine.

Add the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the onions in batches until they look dark gold but not burned. Place the fried onions over a paper towel.

In the mean time place the lentils in a pan with enough water to boil for 15 minutes and not go dry. The lentils should be al dente when ready.

Strain the lentils very well and place them in a large bowl. While still hot, pour over the dressing. Gently stir in the almonds, 1/2 of the fried onions, the cheese cut in small squares.

Place the left over onion over the lentils and serve.