Roasted Eggplant Lentil Salad (Aubergine Salad)

TASTY LENTILS!

• 1 cup dried green or brown lentils (or French/puy) (Note 1 for canned)
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth (or water + 1 bouillon cube, crumbled)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 large garlic clove , smashed, skin removed (Note 2)
• lemon peel (about 1.5 x 5 cm / 3/4 x 2")
• 1 bay leaf , dry or fresh
• 2 sprigs thyme , or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 rib celery , broken into 3 or 4 pieces (or just a handful of celery leaves, can skip)

Roasted Eggplant:

• 700g / 1.4 lb eggplant / aubergine (2 medium)
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Garlic Lemon Dressing:

• 2 tbsp lemon juice (or cider vinegar, white or red wine vinegar)
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove , minced using garlic press
• 1 tsp thyme leaves , fresh (or 1/2 ts dried - can omit, or other herbs, Note 3)
• 1 tsp sugar , optional
• 1/2 tsp each salt + black pepper

Salad:

• 250g/ 8 oz cherry tomatoes , halved (large quartered)
• 2 handfuls rocket / arugula lettuce , torn into 5cm/2" pieces
• 60g/ 2 oz feta , crumbled (or more!)