Food

Lentil Salad With Roasted Vegetables

A simple salad made by combining lentils (can be pre-cooked) with some vegetables you’ve roasted in the over. As with all salads, the key is the dressing.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE LENTIL SALAD:

  • 1 small whole acorn squash, peeled if desired, halved, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 medium celeriac, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 small beets, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 sprig rosemary, cut in half
  • 2 cups brown or green lentils
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

FOR THE SHERRY VINAIGRETTE:

  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed

FOR SERVING:

  • 2 heads radicchio, sliced
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens)
  • Parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish
  • Flaky sea salt, to taste
  • Cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tangerine, halved and seeded

PREPARATION

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place vegetables in one layer on one or two large rimmed baking pans, toss with olive oil and salt. Place thyme and rosemary on top of vegetables, cover pans with foil and roast for 25 minutes. Remove foil, stir in bacon and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, until vegetables are tender and golden all over.
  2. In a large pot, combine lentils, 6 cups water, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until lentils are tender.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard and salt. Then whisk in olive oil.
  4. Drain lentils and discard bay leaf; keep or discard garlic as you like. Toss lentils with half of the sherry vinaigrette while still warm. Add more salt, olive oil and vinegar as needed.
  5. Toss radicchio with enough of remaining vinaigrette to lightly coat it and arrange it on a platter. Combine lentils and roasted vegetables, adding more of the vinaigrette to taste; spoon mixture on top of radicchio. Garnish with scallions, parsley, sea salt and black pepper. Squeeze tangerine juice over the lentils and drizzle with more olive oil if needed.