Joanne Weir's Green Lentil and Red Pepper Salad with Red Onion, Mint, and Feta

Ingredients:
1 cup dried lentils, preferably Green French Lentils de Puy
3 bay leaves
4 large cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. dried oregano (or more, I used about 1/2 tsp.)
1 red onion, chopped into pieces about 1/4 inch
1 red bell pepper, chopped into pieces about 1/4 inch
5 T finely chopped mint (or more, I used about 1/2 cup mint)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
6 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
(original recipe called for a garnish of chopped Kalamata olives, which I didn't use)

Dressing Ingredients:
6 T good quality olive oil
6 T red wine vinegar
2 T fresh squeezed lime juice (optional, original recipe didn't use this but I liked the addition of lime)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin (or more, I used about 1 tsp.)
1 tsp. finely minced garlic

Instructions:
Rinse lentils and pick out any broken pieces or debris. Place lentils in a pan with enough water to cover by several inches, then add bay leaves, garlic, and oregano and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, until lentils are tender but still firm and slightly chewy. Drain well and cool.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

While lentils are cooling, chop onion and red bell pepper Put cooled lentils in a bowl, add red onion and red pepper, then gently stir in dressing. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar if desired. Let salad marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Just before serving, chop mint and add to salad. Sprinkle salad with chopped feta and serve.

If this makes more than you will be eating at one time, I thought the salad was still good after being in the fridge for a couple of days, but don't add the feta until just before serving. 

Recipe found at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2008/08/joanne-weirs-green-lentil-and-red.html