GREEN LENTIL, RED LEAF & BEETROOT WITH HAZELNUTS
When buying raspberry vinegar opt for quality, if you can. The best ones are slightly syrupy in texture with a fragrant natural hint of raspberries that just lifts a salad to new heights and works particularly well with the beetroot, lentils and hazelnuts.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
150g dried green lentils
125g mixed red salad leaves
1 radicchio, leaves separated and halved cross-ways, if large
200g cooked beetroot in natural juice, drained and cubed
2 red spring onions, finely sliced
3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
60g hazelnuts, toasted and halved
Raspberry dressing
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp good-quality raspberry vinegar
1 heaped tsp clear honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the lentils in a pan and cover generously with water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer, part-covered, for 25 minutes or until tender. Drain the lentils.
Meanwhile, make the raspberry dressing. Put all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake until combined, then season.
Arrange the salad leaves and radicchio on a large serving plate and top with the lentils, beetroot and spring onions. Spoon the dressing over, toss lightly to combine, then scatter over the parsley and hazelnuts before serving.
