Green Lentils With Roasted Beets and Preserved Lemon

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 5 small beets (about 1 pound), peeled
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup French green lentils
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• ½ small onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 preserved lemon (available in specialty shops) or 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• ⅓ cup chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint sprigs for garnish

For the vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    404 calories; 18 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 108 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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4 to 6 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 1 beet for garnish and cut the remaining 4 into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss the cubes with a teaspoon of oil, season with salt and pepper and bake 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, place the lentils, carrot, onion, bay leaf, parsley, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small pot and add water to cover the lentils by about 3/4 of an inch. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the herbs, drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
3. To make the vinaigrette, combine the lemon juice, zest, shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with pepper and more salt if necessary.
4. To assemble the salad, quarter the lemon and scrape out the soft pulp. Finely chop the pulp and stir 2 teaspoons into the vinaigrette. Finely chop the lemon skin and add it, along with the vinaigrette, roasted beets, parsley and chopped mint, to the lentils. Toss and serve on a platter. Grate the reserved beet and use it for garnish with mint sprigs.

1 hour