Warm lentil salad with charred halloumi and roasted pepper

Warm Salad Mediterranean Halloumi Lentils Quick Weeknight dinner Vegetarian

Warm bistro-style salads are exactly the kind of dish that cheers you up: quick to make, full of flavor and still a pleasant surprise on the table. The key is good searing, because a lightly charred edge on halloumi or pepper is what turns boring into tasty. For that, use a frying pan without non-stick coating, because stainless steel gives you that lovely brown crust that a non-stick surface simply doesn't. Serve lukewarm with a drizzle of lemon dressing and enjoy.

x_ckl_recipe_markerWarm lentil salad with charred halloumi and roasted pepper A rich warm salad with crispy halloumi, tender lentils and lightly charred vegetables. Perfect for weeknights and for when you want something a bit special on the table. How to make a warm lentil salad with charred halloumi and roasted pepper? Main course Mediterranean 2 people 10 min 30 min

Rinse the cooked lentils and let them drain well. Set aside.
Cut the red peppers into wide strips and the zucchini into slices about 1 cm thick. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
Heat the frying pan over high heat without oil. Add a splash of olive oil once the pan is very hot. Place the pepper strips and zucchini rounds in the pan and leave them without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes so they get a nice brown edge. Then turn them and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Slice the halloumi into 0.5 cm slices. Add a little more oil to the pan if needed and sear the halloumi over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until a golden, slightly crispy crust forms. Place the slices on a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until they begin to soften and colour lightly. Then add the drained lentils, stir everything together and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes.
Meanwhile make the dressing: mix the lemon juice with the olive oil, honey, garlic, cumin, pepper and salt in a small bowl or jar.
Divide the lentils with tomatoes between deep plates or a large serving dish. Top with the roasted vegetables and finish with the seared halloumi. Pour the dressing over and garnish with fresh parsley and, if using, a few pomegranate seeds.
Serve immediately, warm. Lovely with a slice of good bread on the side.

Warm Salad Mediterranean Halloumi Lentils Quick Weeknight dinner Vegetarian 400 g cooked green or black lentils (from a can or jar, rinsed) 250 g halloumi, in 0.5 cm slices 2 red peppers 1 zucchini 150 g cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying) Juice of 1 lemon 3 tbsp olive oil (for the dressing) 1 tsp runny honey 1 clove garlic, finely grated 0.5 tsp ground cumin Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste A handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped Optional: 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds Large frying pan (28 cm) Cutting board Sharp knife Small mixing bowl or jar with lid Wooden spatula or tongs Colander Frying Pan Without Non-Stick Coating frying-pan-without-non-stick-coating Chopping Board chopping-board Knife Set knife-set Chef's knife chefs-knives Beka Frying pan Maestro stainless steel Ø 28 cm – suitable for all heat sources – without non-stick coating Beka Koekenpan Beka Frying pan Cicla stainless steel Ø 20 cm – suitable for all heat sources – ceramic non-stick coating Beka Koekenpan Blackwell Frying pan carbon steel Ø 20 cm – without non-stick coating Blackwell Koekenpan De Buyer Frying pan Lyonnaise Carbon Plus - Sheet steel - ø 32 cm - without non-stick coating De Buyer ["Koekenpan"] Warm salad with seared halloumi and roasted vegetables foodies-warm-salad-with-seared-halloumi-and-roasted-vegetables Gluten-free quinoa tabbouleh with pomegranate and mint foodies-gluten-free-quinoa-tabbouleh-with-pomegranate-and-mint

Recipe

Warm lentil salad with charred halloumi and roasted pepper

A rich warm salad with crispy halloumi, tender lentils and lightly charred vegetables. Perfect for weeknights and for when you want something a bit special on the table.

Course	Main course
Kitchen	Mediterranean
Servings	2 people

Preparation time

Preparation time	10 min
Total	30 min

Equipment

Large frying pan (28 cm)
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Small mixing bowl or jar with lid
Wooden spatula or tongs
Colander

Ingredients

400 g cooked green or black lentils (from a can or jar, rinsed)
250 g halloumi, in 0.5 cm slices
2 red peppers
1 zucchini
150 g cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil (for the dressing)
1 tsp runny honey
1 clove garlic, finely grated
0.5 tsp ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
A handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Optional: 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

How to make a warm lentil salad with charred halloumi and roasted pepper?

Rinse the cooked lentils and let them drain well. Set aside.
Cut the red peppers into wide strips and the zucchini into slices about 1 cm thick. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
Heat the frying pan over high heat without oil. Add a splash of olive oil once the pan is very hot. Place the pepper strips and zucchini rounds in the pan and leave them without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes so they get a nice brown edge. Then turn them and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Slice the halloumi into 0.5 cm slices. Add a little more oil to the pan if needed and sear the halloumi over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until a golden, slightly crispy crust forms. Place the slices on a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until they begin to soften and colour lightly. Then add the drained lentils, stir everything together and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes.
Meanwhile make the dressing: mix the lemon juice with the olive oil, honey, garlic, cumin, pepper and salt in a small bowl or jar.
Divide the lentils with tomatoes between deep plates or a large serving dish. Top with the roasted vegetables and finish with the seared halloumi. Pour the dressing over and garnish with fresh parsley and, if using, a few pomegranate seeds.
Serve immediately, warm. Lovely with a slice of good bread on the side.

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The trick with this recipe is patience. Put the vegetables and halloumi in a very hot pan and just leave them. If you keep stirring constantly you'll end up with steamed vegetables instead of a nice charred crust. A stainless steel pan behaves perfectly here because it holds and releases heat at just the right moment. That's not luck, that's simply the right pan for the job.

Want to vary? Swap the halloumi for seared chicken breast or prawns for a different protein. You can also switch the lentils for chickpeas or white beans. And in summer this salad is just as good served at room temperature. One pan, endless possibilities.