Friday 5 November 2010

Warm Puy Lentil Salad with Baby Spinach and Goat's Cheese


I love the way Lentils are used in Europe in salads - I had only tasted lentils in the form of Dhal ( curry ) but after being here for 6 years now I have tried them in many variations and this one is my favourite. Try it.
200g  peppers
225g   Puy Green Lentils
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 red onion, sliced
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp English mustard
225g baby spinach
100g pack  Goat's Cheese, roughly chopped
  1. Preheat the grill to high. Place the whole peppers on a baking sheet and place under the grill. Cook until the skins are blackened, turning occasionally. To remove the skins easily, place the hot peppers in a clean plastic food bag and seal immediately until cool enough to handle. Remove and peel the skins. Cut off the tops, deseed and cut into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Cook the lentils according to the pack instructions for about 15-20 minutes, until just tender. Drain, return to the pan and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 4-5 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the peppers.
  3. Whisk together the remaining oil, vinegar, lemon juice and mustard and season well. Stir the onion and peppers into the lentils and pour the dressing over.
  4. Arrange the spinach spoon over the lentils and top it up with a little goat's cheese. Serve immediately.

4 comments: