Lentil salad with roasted radicchio & cauliflower

Discover the delightful blend of hearty lentils with the bold flavors of roasted radicchio and cauliflower in this vibrant and nutritious salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (450 g), see notes above
• 3 teaspoons olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or freshly ground black pepper
• kosher salt
• 1/2 cup French green lentils, rinsed
• 1 bay leaf, if you have it
• 1/3 cup walnuts or more to taste
• 1 head radicchio, cored and chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
• 90g goat cheese
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 3 tablespoons currants or more to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on the baking sheet. Mix with 2 tablespoons of oil, Aleppo pepper if desired, and kosher salt. If needed, drizzle more oil. Spread out again in a single layer and bake until the cauliflower turns lightly brown, for about 20 to 25 minutes.
2. While the cauliflower is roasting, in a saucepan, combine the lentils, bay leaf if available, and some salt. Cover them with at least an inch of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the lentils are tender, which usually takes around 20 to 25 minutes (sometimes a bit longer, up to 30 minutes). Add more water if necessary.
3. In a medium skillet, toast the nuts over low heat until they become golden brown. Be attentive as they can burn quickly. Transfer the toasted nuts to a cutting board and roughly chop them.
4. Simultaneously, in a large mixing bowl, coat half of the radicchio with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the cauliflower is lightly browned, spread the remaining raw radicchio on the baking sheet and bake until the radicchio wilts and the cauliflower becomes tender, typically around 3 to 5 minutes more. Let it cool down.
5. For the vinaigrette, finely mince the anchovies and mash them into a paste using a knife's side. Mix them with the other vinaigrette ingredients and whisk until well combined. Adjust the lemon amount to your preference.
6. Drain the cooked lentils properly, remove the bay leaf, and add them to the large bowl with the dressed radicchio. While still warm, mix the lentils with an adequate amount of vinaigrette. Season with a bit of salt.
7. Combine the roasted cauliflower, radicchio, half of the tarragon, and walnuts in the bowl. Toss everything with more vinaigrette until evenly coated. Taste and season accordingly, adding more lemon juice if needed. Include the remaining tarragon if desired. Just before serving, sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese over the salad and gently mix. Serve the dish warm or at room temperature.

Summary:

• Calories: 1847 kcal
• Fat: 130 g
• Protein: 61 g
• Carbs: 127 g
• Potassium: 2890 mg
• Magnesium: 262 mg