Beluga Lentil Salad

Ingredients

• 200 g beluga lentils
• 100 g bulgur
• 0.5 bunch scallions
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 100 g sun‑dried tomatoes
• 80 g olives (pitted)
• 200 g feta cheese (45% fat in whole milk)
• 2 handfuls fresh herbs (basil, parsley)
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
• 1 Pomegranate

Instructions

1. 1.

   Cook lentils according to package instructions for 25 minutes. Drain into a colander, rinse thoroughly with cold water and set aside.

2. 2.

   Cook bulgur according to package instructions for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and let steam off.

3. 3.

   While the grains cook, trim and wash scallions, slicing them into rings. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the scallion rings until translucent, about 3 minutes; set aside.

4. 4.

   Chop sun‑dried tomatoes and olives into small pieces. Roughly crumble feta cheese. Wash herbs, shake dry and chop finely. Combine all prepared ingredients in a large bowl.

5. 5.

   Whisk together remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, cumin, and dried Italian herbs to make a dressing; toss with the lentil mixture until well coated.

6. 6.

   Separate pomegranate seeds from the fruit by cutting a wedge at the blossom end, then gently break the fruit over a bowl to release most of the seeds. Remove any light membranes.

7. 7.

   Serve the beluga lentil salad on plates, sprinkling with fresh pomegranate seeds for a burst of color and flavor.