I’ve got a thing about Puy lentils at the moment, and about eating summery salads in spite of the weather being anything but summery just now.

Serve this with Gail‘s mixed olive sourdough bread – quite possibly the best bread ever made.

Serves 4 for a light lunch
1 bag of mixed leaf salad
3-4 handfuls of puy lentils
Vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
150g creamy blue cheese (St Agur, Dolcelatte, Roquefort, etc) – cut into small chunks
½ yellow pepper – cut into thin strips
4-5 radishes – finely sliced
3 spring onions – finely sliced
2-3 sprigs of mint – finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
a good few glugs of olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place lentils in a pan with the bay leaf. Cover generously with the stock then bring to boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until just tender. Drain and leave to cool.

Once cool mix everything together except the salad leaves and mint.

Divide the leaves between four bowls. Pile the lentil and cheese mixture gently on top. Sprinkle with a little chopped mint.