Honey and Balsamic roasted Beetroot salad with Puy Lentils, Feta and Spinach

It might be Spring!! It is definitely warmer and the clock is going forward this weekend so fingers crossed.. My recipe this week is perfect for this time of year. It’s a between-seasons salad – you don’t need a heat wave to enjoy it and if it rains that’s not the end of the world either…. I roasted up some of this week’s beetroot with honey and balsamic vinegar and put it with Puy lentils and Feta Cheese. The saltiness of the feta is just perfect with all that earthy sweetness you get from the honeyed beetroot. I finished things off with a topping of this week’s spinach which I shredded and this really made the whole thing look (and taste!) great….

Honey and Balsamic roasted Beetroot salad with Puy Lentils, Feta Cheese and Spinach

You’ll need:

600gr Beetroot (what you have in this week’s bag)

100gr Puy Lentils

1 sprig of thyme – not essential but nice

Olive Oil for roasting

Balsamic Vinegar

Honey

A handful of spinach finely shredded

100gr Feta cheese crumbled

The dressing:

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

 Get started on the beetroot first – scrub it well then bring to the boil in plenty of water and cook until almost tender (about 30 minutes). Rinse the lentils and bring to the boil along with the thyme in 2 cups unsalted water then turn down the heat and continue cooking until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water then set aside for later.

When the beetroot is ready, drain it then allow to cool down before peeling the heads and cutting into segments (you’ll get about 6-8 out of each head depending on size).Toss in a roasting pan with olive oil, a generous dash of balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of honey. Place in a hot oven (gas mark 6) and roast for 30 minutes.While the beetroot is cooking,  mix the dressing ingredients together. Stir this through the Lentils and set aside

When the beetroot is ready, let it cool a little then put the salad together by piling the beetroot onto the lentils and topping with the feta and a handful of the shredded spinach. To finish drizzle with your best olive oil.

Have a great weekend, my best friend is over from London and you will find us at my friend Chrissy’s sample sale in the Central Hotel (Check out www.mcleodagencies.com if you’re interested) and the flea market in Dublin 8.The weather can do what it likes!

Sarah