Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time 45 minutes
250 g (8 oz) puy lentils
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 onion, finely chopped
2 red peppers, cored, deseeded and finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
250 g (8 oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
rind and juice of 1 lemon
handful of flat leaf parsley
250 g (8 oz) cooked turkey, sliced
salt and pepper
Cook the lentils in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 35–40 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until cooked al dente. Drain and transfer to a large salad bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the onion and red pepper. Cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes until beginning to soften, then add the garlic and cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes until they are softened.
Add the cooked vegetables to the warm lentils, stir in the lemon rind and juice and the parsley, and drizzle well with the oil. Season to taste. Allow the salad to cool to room temperature, then add the leftover turkey. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes before eating.
For turkey & penne salad, omit the lentils and instead cook 300 g (10 oz) penne in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, refresh under cold running water and drain again. Prepare the vegetables as above, then stir into the pasta with 250 g (8 oz) cooked turkey, the lemon rind and juice and the parsley. Instead of drizzling with olive oil, stir in 5 tablespoons crème fraîche before serving.