- 4 small beets (3/4 pound)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 cup red lentils (7 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 2 1/2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350°. Wrap the beets in foil and roast them for about 45 minutes, or until tender; let cool. Peel the beets and cut them into wedges.
In a medium skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cumin and cook just until fragrant. Remove from the heat and whisk in the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the lentils and cook just until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the lentils and transfer to a bowl. Toss the lentils with half of the vinaigrette and let cool. Stir in the parsley.
Toss the spinach and beets with the remaining vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Mound some of the salad on dinner plates and spoon the lentils on top. Garnish with the feta and serve.
Sponsor: Dan’s Market
