Try this veggie salad as a main course lunch, or as a side dish. With roasted carrots, lentils, apple, mint and preserved lemon, it’s a wonderful autumnal dish
Prep:20 mins
Serves 4 as a side
For the salad350g baby carrots (a mix of colours is best)1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil250g cooked puy lentils1 red and 1 green chilli, halved, deseeded and very finely sliced2 preserved lemons, rind only, finely sliced, plus 2 tsp brine from the jar1 large or 2 medium tart eating apples½ lemon, juiced10 mint sprigs, leaves torn½ small bunch of coriander, leaves picked
STEP 1Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Trim the carrots, but leave a bit of the tops on. If you can’t find baby carrots, halve or quarter larger ones lengthways. Don’t peel them, just wash well. Put in a single layer in a roasting tin, add the olive oil, salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Roast for 25-30 mins until tender. Be careful not to overcook.STEP 2Make the dressing by putting the vinegar in a bowl and whisking in all the other ingredients with a fork. Season. Put the lentils in a broad shallow serving bowl with half the chilli and a third of the preserved lemon. Season, then toss with about a third of the dressing. Halve and core the apple (there’s no need to peel) and cut into matchsticks. Throw into a large mixing bowl with the lemon juice and add the carrots. Add the rest of the preserved lemons and chilli, along with two-thirds of the herbs and the remaining dressing. Scatter the rest of the herbs over the lentils, and put the carrot and apple mixture on top.
