salad

It’s inevitable, as predictable as the rising sun – come the first of January and we all feel the call of the detox. I’ve been craving lentils ever since I caught the Nigel Slater show over Christmas – his dish of warm lentil salad, horseradish and rare beef chimed somewhere with my overloaded palate… However I really wanted to make it meat-free, and to incorporate some roasted king oyster mushrooms. The mushrooms are meaty enough – they’re perfect for roasting and absorb the flavour of anything they’re dressed in. I coated them in porcini oil, and salt and pepper and roasted them for around 30 minutes.

I also roasted some red and golden beetroot in another dish, with fennel, radish, sweet potato and lemon and lime zest. The lentils came courtesy of one of those ready packs, always a handy standby. The juice of the lemon and lime were added to the oil from mushrooms as a dressing, and I left the entirety to meld for half an hour before serving.

The puy lentils were earthy and added to the savouriness of the king oyster mushrooms… Granny smith apples added texture and a touch of acidity, and the roasted vegetables were both sweet and crunchy. For the first time in days I woke with an appetite, and raring to go! Bring on the detox – I’m ready for it now…

King oyster mushrooms

The mushrooms were sliced, and dipped in porcini oil

Sweet potato, radish, fennel, red and yellow beetroot, and lime and lemon zest

The dressed dish, roasted vegetables, king oyster mushrooms and puy lentils

After the best part of a year waiting for their return, blood oranges are finally back in season. I’ve made them into sorbet in the past, but sometimes when something is this seasonal it’s nice to enjoy them in a very simple recipe. So – this one is not really a hardship – no waiting for dough to prove – no hanging around!

Simply peel your blood oranges and cut into fine slices. Try to capture as much of the juice as you can… Dress with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and leave the flavours to mingle. In the meantime, finely slice some fennel on a mandolin, and when ready layer over the blood oranges… Dress the fennel in a little olive oil…

Finely slice the blood oranges and dress them in oil, salt and pepper

Blood orange salad, with fennel and red vein sorrel

Puy lentil salad, with roasted vegetables and king oyster mushrooms

Blood Orange and Fennel Salad