Our third Plate to Plate challenge is a delicious salad out of Yotam Ottolenghi’s newest cookbook “Plenty More”. Finding a recipe both of us can make on our hemispheres is part of the plate to plate challenge. Luckily, Jillian is able to get most produce throughout the year. We were both gifted Ottolenghi‘s cookbook “Plenty More” for Christmas and thought it a good idea to choose something from that book. I have all five of Ottolenghi’s books and am a huge fan. Often I’ll say: I can close my eyes, pick a random recipe and know it will be delicious. The dishes are very good. Every single time.
We agreed on “Lentils, Radicchio and Walnuts with Manuka Honey”. Now, I’m not a huge fan of honey, but everything about this recipe spoke to me: lots of herbs, lentils, radicchio, so I knew I wanted to try it. And it is a winner, of course!
I love how fresh, light and airy Jillian’s photos (on the left) are. I can just see her sitting in hot Australia eating this salad. I, on the other hand, am sitting in snowy Switzerland enjoying the salad while it is still warm!
I made a few changes, substituting the puy lentils with Alb Leisa green lentils and forgoing the cheese simply because I forgot about it. Instead of the Manuka honey, I used a dark, strong tasting forest honey. Despite it being strong, all the other flavors in the salad toned it down and the dish didn’t taste overly like honey. It was still delicious the next day when I packed it into my lunchbox for work!
Read Jillian’s post here!
Lentil, Radicchio and Walnut Salad (Ottolenghi’s “Plenty More”)
- 200g puy lentils
- 2 bay leaves
- 100g manuka honey
- ¼ tsp flaked chilli
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- Salt and black pepper
- About 1 tsp water
- 3 tbsp red-wine vinegar
- 90ml olive oil
- 100g walnuts
- ½ medium-size radicchio
- 60g pecorino fiore sardo, or other mature ewe’s or goat’s cheese
- 20g each roughly chopped basil, dill and parsley
Heat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Put the lentils in a medium saucepan, cover with plenty of water, add the bay leaves and simmer for 15 minutes, until tender.
While the lentils cook, prepare the walnuts. In a bowl, combine half the honey, the chilli, turmeric and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and add enough water to create a thick paste.
Drain the lentils and return to the pan. Whisk together the vinegar, half the oil, the remaining honey, half a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper until the honey dissolves. Stir into the lentils while they’re still hot, then leave to cool a little. Discard the bay leaves.
Add the walnuts to the honey/chilli paste and stir to coat. Spread on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring once, until crunchy and dry, but still sticky.
Pour the remaining oil into a medium frying pan and place on high heat. Cut the radicchio into eight wedges and place these in the hot oil, sprinkling them with a little salt. Cook for a minute on each side, then transfer into a large bowl.
Add the lentils, walnuts, sliced pecorino and herbs. Stir gently, taste and season accordingly. Serve warmish or at room temperature.
