Recipe

Roasted Beetroot & Puy Lentil Salad with Goat's Cheese & Walnuts

Name: Roasted Beetroot & Puy Lentil Salad with Goat's Cheese & Walnuts
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 600g raw beetroot (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into wedges; 2 tbsp olive oil; Sea salt and black pepper; 250g Puy lentils, rinsed; 1 bay leaf; 1 sprig fresh thyme; For the dressing: 3 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil; For the dressing: 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; For the dressing: 1 tsp Dijon mustard; For the dressing: 1 small clove garlic, finely grated; For the dressing: sea salt and black pepper; To finish: 150g soft goat's cheese, crumbled; To finish: 60g walnut halves, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant; To finish: small bunch flat-leaf parsley or watercress, leaves picked

Earthy, sharp, sweet and rich in the same bowl. Roasted beetroot and warm Puy lentils dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette, with crumbled goat's cheese and toasted walnuts over the top. The kind of salad that works as a proper meal.

Serves 4

Ready in 1 hr

Keeps 3 days fridge. Keep dressing and cheese separate until serving.

Level Easy

600g raw beetroot (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into wedges
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
250g Puy lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
For the dressing: 3 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil
For the dressing: 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
For the dressing: 1 tsp Dijon mustard
For the dressing: 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
For the dressing: sea salt and black pepper
To finish: 150g soft goat's cheese, crumbled
To finish: 60g walnut halves, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant
To finish: small bunch flat-leaf parsley or watercress, leaves picked

Puy lentils should be cooked in unsalted water — salt added during cooking can toughen the skins and produce a less even result. Season the lentils after draining while still warm; they absorb the dressing and seasoning far better at this stage than when cold. Beetroot roasted in foil rather than exposed produces steamed rather than roasted beetroot — for proper caramelisation and concentrated flavour, roast it uncovered at high heat. The colour will transfer to the lentils and dressing as the dish sits, which is expected; dress the lentils and beetroot separately and combine just before serving if you want to preserve the colour contrast.

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. Toss the beetroot wedges with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread on a roasting tray in a single layer — don't crowd or wrap in foil, which would steam rather than roast. Roast for 35–40 minutes, turning once at the halfway point, until tender throughout and the cut surfaces are caramelised. Set aside.

While the beetroot roasts, cook the lentils. Put the rinsed Puy lentils in a medium pan with the bay leaf and thyme. Cover generously with cold, unsalted water — salting now can toughen the skins. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 18–22 minutes until tender but still holding their shape with a slight resistance when pressed. Drain well through a colander.

Make the dressing while the lentils cook: whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, salt and pepper until well combined and slightly thickened. Taste — it should be assertively sharp and mustardy. Adjust with more vinegar or salt as needed.

While the lentils are still warm, remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Toss about two-thirds of the dressing through the warm lentils immediately — warm lentils absorb dressing far better than cold ones. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust.

Spread the dressed lentils as a base on a large plate or shallow serving dish. Arrange the roasted beetroot wedges over the top. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the beetroot. Scatter the crumbled goat's cheese and toasted walnut halves over everything. Finish with the parsley or watercress leaves.

Serve warm or at room temperature — both work well. The lentils and beetroot can be prepared a day ahead and kept separately in the fridge; bring to room temperature before assembling, as cold lentils straight from the fridge won't absorb the dressing properly.

✦ Chef's note

Golden or candy-striped beetroot make a beautiful alternative to the standard red variety and don't bleed colour into the lentils — worth seeking out from a farmers' market or good greengrocer. Pre-cooked vacuum-packed beetroot (not in vinegar) saves 40 minutes if you're short on time; slice it into wedges and finish in the oven for 10 minutes to get some colour on the cut surfaces before serving. The walnuts can be swapped for hazelnuts or toasted pumpkin seeds. A drizzle of good honey over the finished salad alongside the dressing gives a sweetness that works very well against the sharpness of the goat's cheese. This dish makes a good centrepiece for a December lunch alongside bread and a simple green salad.