Puy lentil salad

Another great recipe from our cook book to keep you busy over the bank holiday weekend, perfect for a bank holiday Sunday BBQ (weather permitting).  Enjoy!

PUY LENTIL SALAD

WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Yes, yes, we know, lentil salad may seem a bit clichéd, but this

is so tangy and moreish we couldn’t possibly think of leaving

it out. It’s great either warm or cold and, if you don’t mind a

bit of dairy, works brilliantly with goats’ cheese too. You can

substitute anything you like for the vegetables here – just

try to stick to veggies that will hold their shape when mixed

together with the lentils.

 

SERVES 6 –8 AS A STARTER

200g (7oz) Puy lentils

1 red onion, very finely diced

80ml (3fl oz) olive oil

80ml (3fl oz) balsamic vinegar

1 red chilli, trimmed and chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons tomato purée

1 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

1 bunch of flat leaf parsley leaves

75g (3oz) baby spinach leaves, red chard leaves or bull’s blood leaves

salt

For the roasted vegetables

olive oil

300g (10oz) pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm (1-inch) thick wedges

1/2 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1cm (1/2-inch) thick wedges

150g (5oz) cherry tomatoes

1 courgette, cut into 1cm (1/2-inch) thick wedges

2 red or yellow peppers, cored, deseeded and cut into 1-cm-(1/2-inch) thick wedges

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas Mark 6.

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the lentils. Lower

the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and put

in a large salad bowl.

Put the onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chilli, garlic, sugar, tomato

purée and crushed fennel seeds in a small saucepan. Bring to a

simmer and cook gently, stirring frequently, for 4–5 minutes until

the sugar has dissolved. Spoon the warm dressing over the lentils

and leave to cool.

For the roasted vegetables, drizzle a little oil on to the base of a

roasting tin. Add the pumpkin or squash pieces, season with salt and

mix together thoroughly. Roast for 10 minutes. Toss the fennel and

whole tomatoes in a little oil, add to the tin and roast for another

10 minutes. Finally, toss the courgettes and peppers in a little oil, add

to the tin and roast for a further 10 minutes. By now the vegetables

should all be tender and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly.

Roughly chop the parsley and add to the salad bowl along with the

salad leaves and roasted vegetables.

Mix everything together well and serve.