Lentil Salad

Serves 8

This recipe comes from Eddy's, a great little café I discovered in Gustavia in St Barth's in the Caribbean. Eddy himself is probably the most popular featured item there - he greets his customers warmly as they settle in for fare renowned for being both economical and delicious. And it's especially loved by vegetarians.

For the salad

1.2 litres of water
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
^1/2 tsp dried thyme (plus fresh thyme for garnish)
480ml green lentils

For the dressing

1 tsp Dijon mustard
80ml balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
120ml peanut oil

For the garnish

Trimmed spring onions
Shallots

To make the salad, bring the water to the boil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions, carrots, and dried thyme and return to the boil. Stir in the lentils, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until just tender, and drain. Season and leave to cool.

To make the dressing, whisk the mustard, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar and oil in a small bowl. Season to taste. When ready to serve, toss the salad with the dressing, and garnish with the fresh thyme, spring onions and shallots.

'Caribbean Cooking for a Cause' by Morgan Freeman and friends, with profits to the Grenada Relief Fund, is published by Rodale, £20