JANE'S LENTIL & POMEGRANATE SALAD

MEET THE CHEF

Known for bringing an Eastern flare to British classics, London-born Jane swept the competition back in 2016 with her ambitious flavours and unique take on national favourites. Uniting gourmet presentation with explosive flavour palettes, the below salad dish is no exception. Jane’s recipes are perfect those with a penchant for local produce that enjoy exploring the recesses of their local Halal supermarket and bulking out their spice rack. 

Since winning the show back in 2016, Jane has uncovered a new-found love of cooking demonstrations. Alongside landmark career moments such as working with Michelin star Chef’s such as Michael O’Hare and Atul Kotcher and appearing on BBC Breakfast and Woman’s Hour, Jane’s main takeaway over the last 6 years has been her love of sharing her knowledge of food with others.  

Spreading her culinary knowledge reached its pinnacle in 2018 when Jane released her first debut cookbook ‘Hassle Free Gluten Free’ off the back of her son Ben’s Coeliac diagnosis. Imparting over 100 gluten free recipes, Jane wanted to bring a “no nonsense cookbook” that destigmatised gluten free cooking and showed what could be achieved by simply making some minor tweaks to classic dishes. Always committed to making the delicious accessible to all, Jane’s recipes always have ingredient flexibility at their core. 

ABOUT THE RECIPE

The perfect summer salad to be served as an accompaniment or as a main course itself, MasterChef’s own Jane Devonshire proves once again how she swept the competition with this protein and flavour rich lentil salad. Drawing upon sharp Middle Eastern flavours with the inclusion of pomegranate, the genius of this dish lays in the combination of textures. The crunch of the walnuts against the velvety feta is a winning combination in any dish, but when paired with the acidity of the vinegar and the syrupy molasses you achieve a perfect flavour balance. If you’re struggling to find the molasses, this can be substituted for a balsamic glaze, but there’s truly nothing like the real thing! 

THE RECIPE CARD

JANE'S LENTIL & POMEGRANATE SALAD


Servings

6

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Equipment

1 Chef's Knife, 1 Chopping Board, 1 Large Saucepan, 1 Sieve, 1 Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

7 oz puy lentils
7 oz feta cheese
7 oz pomegranate seeds
4.5 oz washed baby spinach
a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley
a handful of torn basil leaves
2 oz roughly chopped walnuts
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
6 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions

1. Put the puy lentils in a saucepan and cover with cold water.

2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes (or according to packet instructions) until cooked but firm to the bite.

3. Drain and rinse under boiling water then drain again and toss into a large serving bowl.

4. Add the spinach which the heat of the lentils should cause to wilt.

5 Once cool, mix the dressing ingredients together and add them to the lentils.

6. Add the chopped feta, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, parsley and basil.

7. Mix everything together gently. Taste, season and serve immediately.