This easy and delicious salad is made even better with sautéed leek. It’s a serves one recipe but you easy double it or more.

I love French/puy lentils, they’re perfect in salads like this and just soak up flavour. The kale is just oh so slightly cooked and the pine nuts add texture and that butteriness they have.

Plus, Haloumi. Who can argue with golden fried Haloumi on a salad. You’ve got everything in this for the perfect lunch: texture, cheese, greens and it’s filling!

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/3 cup French puy lentils

1 cup stock (vegetable or chicken, salt reduced)

1 small leek or half a leek

1.5 cups kale (the curly kind)

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbs toasted pine nuts

60g sliced Haloumi or 5 slices a couple of mm thick

Dressing

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp red wine or sherry vinegar

1/2 tsp maple syrup

Salt and extra virgin olive oil for cooking

Directions

Rinse lentils. Combine in a pot with stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, 25 minutes. Drain before use.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, 25 minutes. Drain before use.

Trip the leek, slice in half lengthways and clean well. Finely slice.

Heat a medium fry pan. Add a splash of olive oil once hot and the leeks. Sautee on medium heat until soft and golden in parts. Turn off the heat and add the kale, stir to mix and wilt. Add the lentils and pine nuts and mix. Pour into a bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients. Pour over the salad and toss.

Wipe out the pan and then return to the heat. Add another splash of oil, then add the sliced Haloumi. Cook on medium heat for a minute or so each side or until golden.

Transfer salad to a serving bowl and scatter Haloumi over the top. Enjoy!

HH. x