Chili oil and lentil, rice feta with herbs

As I mentioned, I had my own natural Christmas tree full of chilis. It is in a small pot, and it is giving me flowers again. With my first chilies, I made chili oil Italian style, or as my Nonno used to make it.

Chili oil 

Fresh red chilies 

Salt

Extra virgin olive oil

strainer and a thin cotton gauze

Wash and chop the chilies. Mix it with salt, and place it on a cotton gauze over a plastic atrainer for 4-6 hours. Transfer to a clean glass container, and fill it with olive oil. Let it rest for a week, and enjoy it. Since it is very warm where I live, I keep it in the fridge.

When my garden herbs are ready, and in big quantity, I make my lentil, rice salad with what I have in my fridge. I will give the proportions I use:

Always 1.5 cups of rice per 1 cup of lentils, plus feta cheese.

The remaining ingredients depend on what I have or what I want to clean in my fridge. This time I used, carrots, yellow bell pepper, onions, garlic, olives, shrimps.

Cook the rice and the lentils in separate pots. Set aside to get them warm.

Dice the feta. Set aside.

In olive oil, sauté the onion and garlic. Add the bell pepper and carrots. Add the shrimps, and season it with salt and pepper.

Mix this mixture with rice, lentils and feta cheese. Add all the herbs you want. In my case, green onions, parsley, mint, oregano, cilantro, chives. Add chili oil and or plain olive oil. ENJOY!

This chili oil over a toast bread with a piece of cheese is delicious!!