Let’s be honest, this salad is a vehicle for eating crispy, melty cheese for dinner. Not just any cheese, but rich and dense grillable cheeses like bread cheese, Halloumi, or paneer. When grilled or seared, these varieties brown and crisp on the outside while becoming soft and meaty inside, without melting into a puddle.
Recipe information
Total Time
50 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add lentils and cook until just tender but not falling apart (they should hold their shape), about 20 minutes. Drain well.
Step 2
Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, honey, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl to combine; season with kosher salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
Step 3
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add cheese and cook, turning occasionally, until heated through and brown and crispy on all sides, about 5 minutes total. (Some varieties of paneer are made without salt; if using one of these, season your pieces of cheese while cooking.) Transfer to a plate.
Step 4
Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to same pan, then add sweet peppers and oregano. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and cook over medium-high, stirring and pressing down occasionally on sweet peppers with a wooden spoon so they make good contact with the pan, until softened and blistered in spots, 20–25 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 5
Add warm lentils and reserved dressing to pan and toss to combine, then toss in cheese.
Step 6
Transfer sweet pepper mixture to a platter or plates. Top with basil and season with sea salt and more black pepper.
Recipe notes
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