Beluga lentil salad with slow-roasted cherry tomatoes

There are things I am strangely drawn to in shops. When I spot them, I simply have to go and marvel at them, feel them and, alas, often buy them. Pretty summer dresses and jewelled sandals are two of those things, pulses are another (the former presenting more of a danger to my bank balance than the latter). You'll understand that I couldn't possibly walk by a bag of tiny, pitch-black lentils seductively called Beluga, don't you? To be honest, I couldn't taste a big difference to green or brown lentils but at least, they make for a very dramatic-looking lentil salad!

Beluga lentil salad with slow-roasted cherry tomatoes (serves 4)

• 240g Beluga lentils
• 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
• icing sugar
• olive oil (for roasting and for dressing the salad)
• balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper
  
• a bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°. Cut the tomatoes in half and place on a lined baking tray. Dust with a little icing sugar and sprinkle with olive oil. Roast four at least 40 minutes until the tomatoes are reduced in size. In the meantime, cook the lentils until done. Drain and let cool for about thirty minutes before adding the tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper and olive oil and vinegar. Stir carefully and let stand at room temperature for thirty minutes before serving. With a little feta crumbled on top, this makes a perfect protein-rich lunchbox salad.