Warm Lentil & Roast Pumpkin Salad

This is a delicious warm salad sort of dish for autumn/winter. 

It can be easily adapted to serve just the two of you 

(alright 3 nights in a row on your own but it keeps well)

or great for a whole crowd.

It is a meal on it's own or lovely with crusty bread, leafy salads
or lamb etc with lots of yummy homemade chutneys.

Just make up the quantities to suit yourself as you go along.

What you will need:

Black French Puy lentils..brown are fine too if
that's all you can find.

Good pumpkin & a nice feta cheese.
This one came from Hohepa

Wild rice..not always easy to track down so grab it any time that you see it.

This lot came from New World & tastes fine but is a funny
gray colour when cooked. I went to take a picture of the
cooked rice but it looked rather ugly so I skipped it!

My preferred wild rice is black in colour & although quite

expensive you don't need a great deal of it. Even 1/2 c is fine.

Lots of red onions. I used small ones cut in to 1/8ths.

Now peel & prepare the pumpkin. 

I prefer supermarket squash as in the photo.

It has annoyingly nobbly skin but is always such a
lovely flavour & colour.

Roast the cubes of pumpkin in olive oil.

I have been using stock too just lately & it gives a
moist tasty result without the extra fat/oils.

Roast the chopped onions & some peppers..so many
glorious colours right through til the middle of winter.

While the pumpkin, onions & peppers are roasting

(another lovely addition at this time of the year is fennel)

cook the rice & lentils in separate pots.

The lentils need to be rinsed, covered with a 

couple of centimetres of water & simmered for
around 20 to 25 mins until tender. Drain any excess water.

The rice likewise.

Now combine all the ingredients into a nice bowl including
the packet of crumbled feta & dress with a mixture
of good olive oil, lemon juice, good salt, ground black pepper,

honey, some zested root ginger if you like & any other 

chopped herbs such as flat leafed parsley or coriander .

Other things to add are capers & good black olives.

Here we are..not the most inspiring version but at least you get the idea.

David's 21st birthday edition..yum!

Much Love Katie x