Lentils with feta, roast pumpkin and red onions

I am a lentil convert.

I have been dragged kicking and screaming to the world of lentils. My prejudice about them has been long and deep as I found them to be too bland and boring…….but, recently I’ve seen a few recipes which add a huge punch of spicy flavour to the lentils by warming them in extra virgin olive oil with garlic, herbs and chilli. I had to give lentils another go.

And feta cheese, I truly believe, is the saviour of lentils. Its salty, sour tang banishes away any blandness in those lentils.

Miraculous ingredients: fresh rosemary and thyme, feta cheese

Lentils with feta, roast pumpkin and red onions

Ingredients

1 small pumpkin or squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into big slices

1 red onion, peeled and cut into quarters

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped

3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed and finely chopped

½ red chilli, finely sliced

250g lentils, either a pouch or a can, well drained.

75g feta cheese, crumbled

5g fresh parsley, torn

Sea salt to season

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

Prepare the pumpkin or squash; remove the outer skin and seeds and slice into large pieces at least 2cms thick. Place on a baking tray with the quartered red onions, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning over once half way through the cooking time. When roasted, remove from the oven and cut the softened pumpkin or squash into large chunks.

Place a small pan on a medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the chopped garlic, rosemary, thyme and chilli. Heat for about 2 minutes so the garlic begins to colour very slightly. Thoroughly drain the lentils and add to the flavoured oil and cook for a couple of minutes. This is really to heat up the lentils and let them take on the flavours from the oil.

Tip the warmed flavoured lentils into a large serving bowl, add the hot roast chunks of pumpkin or squash and red onion. Finish by crumbling the feta and sprinkling the fresh parsley over the lentils and vegetables. A final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and it’s done!

Preparation time 15 minutes, cooking 30 minutes, serves 4