PUY LENTIL & ROAST TOMATO SALAD

Prep Time: 20 mins Cooking Time: 20 mins Serves: 4

Look for ripe vine tomatoes for this lovely salad – it makes a difference. This makes more dressing than you need; keep the rest for another time.

Ingredients

250g small vine tomatoes, halved

olive oil, to drizzle

200g puy lentils

200g french beans or string beans, topped and tailed

½ garlic clove, crushed

5 tbsp cacao dressing

Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

For the cacao dressing:

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

1 tbsp 100% cacao finely grated. Suggestion, Peruvian Black100% Chulucanas Cacao

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To make the dressing, warm the sherry vinegar in a small pan and add the grated cacao. Mix until the cacao dissolves into the vinegar. Pour into a small bowl, season with salt and black pepper, then whisk in the oil. Set aside until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Put the tomatoes, cut-sides up, on a small baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 15–20 minutes or until slightly browned but still firm.
Meanwhile, put the lentils in a pan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil then simmer for 15–20 minutes until just tender. Blanch the beans in a pan of boiling, salted water for 3 minutes until just tender, then refresh under cold water to hold their colour.
Drain the lentils, then toss with the garlic and cacao dressing. Season.
Fold the beans and parsley and most of the roasted tomatoes through the lentils. Garnish the top of the salad with the remaining tomato halves, and serve.