Method
Rinse the lentils in cold water. Add them to a pan with the kombu and 2 cups water and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender but still hold their form. Rinse under cold water, discard the kombu and set aside.
Chop the sage and rinse the capers. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a small pan and cook the capers until they are crisp. Repeat the process with the sage. Blot the capers and sage in kitchen paper to remove excess oil and toss them through the lentils with the apple and serve.
Note: Lentils require no soaking, take less time to cook than beans and are easier to digest. In oriental medicine they are believed to increase vitality. Puy lentils grown in France are the Rolls Royce of these lovely little pulses, but Australia is growing some delicious varieties sometimes referred to as blue lentils.
Makes 6 servings