Fennel, cherry & goat’s cheese salad with lentils

This seasonal salad is packed with contrasting flavours and textures such as crunchy walnuts, hearty Puy lentils and juicy cherries

  • Prep:15 mins
    Cook:5 mins
  • Serves 3
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 466
  • fat 29g
  • saturates 8g
  • carbs 26g
  • sugars 9g
  • fibre 10g
  • protein 20g
  • salt 1.6g

Ingredients

  • 50g walnut halves or pieces
  • 250g pack pre-cooked puy lentils
  • 1 large fennel bulb, finely sliced, fronds reserved
  • 140g cherries, halved and pitted (or small figs, halved)
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp clear honey
  • ½ small pack tarragon, roughly chopped
  • 100g pack soft goat's cheese (any kind will work, but ash-rolled looks a bit special), thickly sliced and halved

Method

  1. Heat a dry frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook for 3 mins, stirring frequently, until they smell toasty and the skins are a deep golden brown. Set aside to cool.

  2. Heat the lentils following pack instructions, then tip into a large bowl and loosen with a fork. Tip the fennel and cherries on top.

  3. Whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, honey and tarragon, then season. Fold the dressing through the lentils, fennel and cherries, then scoop the salad onto a platter. Scatter with the cheese, walnuts and the reserved fennel fronds.

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