Warm Beluga Lentil Salad with Roasted Fennel, Orange and Feta

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C top/bottom heat (180 °C fan). Wash the fennel, set aside the delicate fennel fronds for garnishing, remove the hard core with a wedge-shaped cut, and cut the bulbs along with the peeled red onion into wedges about 1.5 cm thick.

2. Spread the fennel and onion wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss them with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt, and roast in the preheated oven for approx. 25 minutes until the edges are lightly caramelized.

   ⏱ 25 min

3. Meanwhile, rinse the beluga lentils with cold water, place them in a pot with 500 ml of unsalted water, bring to a boil, and simmer covered over medium heat for 20 minutes until tender to the bite. Drain any excess water.

   ⏱ 20 min

4. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a small pan without oil over medium heat for approx. 3 minutes until fragrant, and remove them from the pan immediately.

   ⏱ 3 min

5. Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, cutting thickly enough to completely remove the white pith. Cut out the segments between the membranes, catching about 3 tbsp of the escaping orange juice; gently squeeze the remaining membranes by hand.

6. Whisk the reserved orange juice with 2 tbsp olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper into a bold dressing.

7. Immediately fold the dressing into the warm beluga lentils, arrange them in deep bowls, and top with the roasted fennel, orange segments, crumbled feta, pumpkin seeds, and plucked fennel fronds.