Bulgur, Beetroot & Feta Salad

📝 Ingredients

• 200 g bulgur wheat
• 160 g dried green lentils
• 2 cooked beetroots (about 150 g each)
• 200 g feta
• 40 g walnut halves
• 15 g fresh mint
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large saucepan
• Colander
• Large dish
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Airtight containers

📖 Steps

1. Rinse the lentils in the sieve. Put them in the large saucepan with 2 litres of cold unsalted water, bring to the boil, then cook for 12 minutes over medium heat at a gentle boil. Don't add salt yet: salting at the start of cooking toughens their skins.
2. Add the bulgur to the pan with 1 tsp salt and cook for a further 10 to 12 minutes. Taste: the lentils should be tender but whole, and the bulgur plump but still slightly firm to the bite.
3. Drain in the sieve and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to stop the cooking. Shake well, then spread out on the large platter and leave to cool for 10 minutes: if still hot, the mixture would melt the feta and wilt the mint.
4. Meanwhile, make the dressing in the bottom of the salad bowl: whisk the mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and some pepper, then drizzle in the olive oil, whisking until the dressing thickens slightly.
5. Cut the beetroots into 1 cm dice, preferably on a plate rather than a wooden board, which the juice would stain. Roughly chop the walnuts with a knife. Pick the mint leaves and finely shred them at the last minute so they don't turn black.
6. Tip the cooled bulgur and lentils into the salad bowl and toss to coat them well in the dressing. Crumble in the feta with your fingertips, add the walnuts and mint, then toss gently.
7. Add the beetroot dice last, without mixing too much, as they turn everything pink. For a lunch box, put them on top in each container and only mix just before eating.
8. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Divide between 4 airtight containers: the salad keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Take it out 10 minutes before eating so the flavours come back to life.