Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 acorn squash, peeled, halved, seeded, diced into 1.25cm pieces
- 2 carrot, peeled, diced into 1.25cm pieces
- 1 celeriac, peeled, diced into 1.25cm pieces
- 3 beets, peeled, diced into 1.25cm pieces
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 g salt
- 2 thyme
- 1 rosemary, cut in half
- 4 bacon
Lentils
- 370 g brown or green lentils
- 1420 ml water
- 2 garlic, smashed and peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
Sherry Vinaigrette
- 60 ml sherry vinegar
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 3 g salt
- 120 ml olive oil
Serving
- 2 radicchio, sliced
- 2 scallion, thinly sliced
- 10 g parsley, chopped
- 1 tangerine, halved and seeded
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 779 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 11 mg
- Potassium
- 885 mg
- Calcium
- 79 mg
- Iron
- 3.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 57 mg
- Phosphorus
- 235 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 125 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 21 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 154 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 2.3 mg
- Folate
- 80 mcg
- Water
- 326 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Spread the squash, carrots, celeriac, and beets in a single layer on the baking pans and toss with olive oil and salt.
Add the thyme and rosemary to the pans, cover with foil, and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil, add the bacon if using, and continue roasting for 35 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Boil lentils in a pot with water, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper, then simmer on low for 25 minutes until tender.
Whisk vinegar, mustard, and salt in a bowl, then slowly stream in olive oil while whisking to emulsify.
Drain the lentils through a colander and discard the bay leaf.
Toss the warm lentils with half of the prepared vinaigrette in a mixing bowl.
Coat the sliced radicchio with a portion of the remaining vinaigrette and spread it across a serving platter.
Combine the dressed lentils with the roasted vegetables and spoon the mixture over the radicchio.
Top the salad with scallions, parsley, and fresh tangerine juice before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the best flavor, use high-quality French green lentils (Puy lentils) as they hold their shape well and have a slightly peppery taste.
- Ensure your root vegetables are cut into uniform 1.25cm (1/2-inch) pieces for even roasting. Overcrowding the baking sheets will steam the vegetables instead of roasting them, leading to a less desirable texture.
- Don't skip the step of dressing the warm lentils with vinaigrette; the lentils will absorb the dressing beautifully, infusing them with flavor.
- Taste and adjust the vinaigrette before dressing the salad. The balance of acidity from the sherry vinegar and the richness of the olive oil is key.
- For an extra layer of flavor and texture, consider adding toasted walnuts or pecans to the finished salad.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store dressing separately if possible to keep radicchio crisp.
Reheating: Serve at room temperature or gently warm the lentil and vegetable mixture before placing on fresh radicchio.
Troubleshooting
Lentils are mushy and falling apart
Cause: Lentils were boiled too vigorously or cooked too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed; use as a base for a thick soup instead
Prevention: Maintain a gentle simmer and check for doneness 5 minutes before the timer ends
Vegetables are unevenly cooked
Cause: Vegetable pieces were cut into different sizes
Fix: Remove smaller cooked pieces and continue roasting larger pieces
Prevention: Ensure all root vegetables are diced into uniform 1.25cm (1/2 inch) cubes
Cultural Context
While this lentil salad with roasted root vegetables is a modern creation, it draws inspiration from classic French bistro salads and the rustic simplicity of farm-to-table cooking. Lentils have been a staple in French cuisine for centuries, particularly in hearty stews and soups, while roasted root vegetables are a common element in seasonal French dishes, especially during autumn and winter.
