Grilled Apricot Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

• 100
  g
  cooked puy lentils
• 1
  garlic clove
  grated
• 1
  tsp
  wholegrain mustard
• olive oil
• 5
  ripe apricots
  halved & pitted
• 3
  handfuls
  salad leaves
• small handful fresh basil
  leaves only
• 2
  tomatoes
  roughly chopped
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• to serve: soft cheese (burrata, stracciatella, or your choice), toasted almonds

DRESSING

• 1
  large tomato
• 3
  tbsp
  extra virgin olive oil
• 1
  tbsp
  sherry vinegar
• 2
  tsp
  wholegrain mustard

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/390°F/gas 6.

2. On a baking tray, toss the cooked puy lentils with the grated garlic, wholegrain mustard, a generous glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread them out and roast for 20–25 minutes until the lentils have shrunk and turned crispy.

3. Make the dressing by grating the large tomato into a bowl, leaving the skin behind. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, wholegrain mustard and a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

4. Preheat a griddle pan over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Place apricot halves cut-side down and cook 2–3 minutes until charred and marked by the griddle. If you don’t have a griddle pan, a regular frying pan works fine, though you won’t get the same char lines. Remove and set aside.

5. In a large serving bowl, combine the salad leaves and basil. Arrange the chopped tomatoes, griddled apricots and crispy puy lentils on top. Scatter torn or spooned soft cheese over the salad, add a handful of toasted almonds, crack over some black pepper and sprinkle flaky salt. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently.