Name: Roast beetroot, lentil and halloumi salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 500g beetroot; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 pinches of cayenne pepper; 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds; 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds; 2 shallots; 100g gherkins; 1 handful of each: parsley, dill, mint leaves; 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 Tbsp olive oil; Squeeze of lemon juice; Half tin of lentils (green or Puy); 1 pack of halloumi cheese

Roast beetroot, lentil and halloumi salad

30 Apr 2015

by Dinna

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Total Time

45 minutes

Background

This roast beetroot, lentil and halloumi salad is an excellent vegetarian midweek meal. It's even quicker to make if you use leftover roast beetroot - just warm it up in the oven with the spices & seeds.

Ingredients

500g beetroot
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 shallots
100g gherkins
1 handful of each: parsley, dill, mint leaves
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
Squeeze of lemon juice
Half tin of lentils (green or Puy)
1 pack of halloumi cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Peel the beetroot (except for one) and cut into thin wedges. Put these in a roasting tray, season to taste, then drizzle with the oil.
Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, add the seeds and spices, toss well, then bake for a further 10 minutes, or until a the beetroot is tender and the seeds are golden.
In the meantime make the salsa: peel the remaining raw beet and chop into chunks, then in a mini food processor whiz with tmost of the herbs until coarse. Transfer to a bowl.
Chop finely the onion and gherkins, add to the bowl, season and stir through the vinegar and oil. Set the salsa aside.
When the seeds are on the beets in the oven, drain the lentils and put them in hot water to warm up.
Slice the halloumi, brush with a little oil and, in a griddle or frying pan, cook on both sides for a couple of minutes until golden.
Mix the drained warm lentils together with the raw beet salsa, then add the roasted beetroot and the seeds. Season to taste and toss everything gently. Sprinkle with the remaining herbs.
Serve the beet & lentil salad with the halloumi slices placed on top then squeeze a drop of lemon juice over.
Serve with crusty, wholesome bread if you like.

Tips

If you don't have, or don't like, tinned lentil, you can cook some dried lentils while the beets are roasting in the oven. You'll need about a cupful - cook it in boiling water until tender (15-20 mins.)