Lentil & Tomato Salad with Sweet-Sour Onions and Crispy Feta

Method

1. Start by marinating the tomatoes. Cut the vine tomatoes into wedges and halve the cherry tomatoes, then place them in a bowl with the herbs and sprinkle with salt flakes (if you have a finishing salt like fleur de sel, use that). Add freshly ground pepper, the olive oil, and a dash of vinegar, and mix. Leave at room temperature.
2. Finely grate the lemon zest and set aside. Slice the red onions thinly and put a handful in a bowl. Juice the zested lemon, pour it over the onions with a pinch of salt, and leave to quick-pickle.
3. Heat a dash of oil in a pan and gently fry the remaining sliced onions for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, and 80ml water, then cook covered for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced and you have jammy onions. Spread them on a plate and chill in the fridge.
4. Crack the egg into a small wide bowl and beat with the milk and a large pinch of salt. Put the flour and panko breadcrumbs in separate bowls, and stir two-thirds of the lemon zest into the breadcrumbs. Pat the feta dry, then slice into 4 bars. Coat each bar in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Heat a small frying pan with 1cm of oil and fry the feta until golden brown all over, turning once. Drain on paper towels and season with a little salt and pepper.
5. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes and their juices with the lentils, then stir in the cooled jammy onions. Divide among plates, top with the crispy feta and some pickled onions, and finish with the remaining lemon zest.