Prep Time 15 minutes - Total Time 1 hour - Serves 2
Now, this is a beautiful little lunch for 2, unless you’re greedy like me then it’s a nice lunch for 1. It would also make for a nice starter or even as a main course.
If you wanted you could add some pomegranate or even nuts for that extra flavour and texture. It can also be eaten cold as well as warm.
(You will also find this recipe on page 160 of my book Richard’s Family Favourites click here)
Salad Ingredients
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes.
1 small fennel bulb, finely sliced, save the herb tops.
400 g tin of lentils.
1 tbsp of honey.
60 g of feta, broken into little nuggets.
1 cooked beetroot, cut into small cubes.
1 small handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped.
Vinaigrette Ingredients
1 tsp of Dijon mustard.
½ lemon, juice only.
1 small garlic clove, crushed.
4 tbsps of extra-virgin olive.
1 tsp of red wine vinegar.
Fresh chives, finely chopped.
Method
Place the butternut squash into a roasting tray and drizzle with a little olive oil, the honey and season. Mix then pop into a preheated oven set at 180℃ for 40 minutes. For the last 10 minutes add the fennel and mix.
Once you have added the fennel to the butternut squash pour the lentils into a saucepan including any water and gently warm up.
Next, make the vinaigrette by simply adding everything together with a pinch of salt and mixing well. Give it a taste and adjust if need be by adding more vinegar, oil or salt, make it to your liking.
Once the veg is out of the oven add to the lentils with half of the vinaigrette, the parsley and give it a good mix. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
Finally pour out the lentils onto a large serving plate, arrange the feta and beetroot on top, scatter with the saved fennel tops and drizzle over the remaining vinaigrette.