Sweet potato-lentil-arugula salad with honey-roasted walnuts

I made this salad for my Oakland book club. It was my turn to host dinner. They are a wonderful group of women, and cooking for them is a challenge I look forward to each year. My turn only comes around once a year and I spend quite a bit of time doing research. The food has to be, first, delicious. And also gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian. Over the past few years, this has gotten easier. Cookbooks and online recipe forums have proliferated. It’s just a matter of finding the right one. This salad hit it out of the park. It was even yummy the next day for lunch with a scoop of cottage cheese. Leftovers would also make a wonderful base for a soup.

The recipe came from the book Community by Hetty McKinnon.

Buffet Line

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

For the sweet potatoes and salad

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2-3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup of dried brown lentils or 2-1/2 cups of cooked
1 cup of soft herbs, chopped (use whatever you have such as parsley, mint, tarragon, chives, dill, and/or cilantro). I used a mix of chopped parsley, mint, chives, and cilantro.
2 cups of baby arugula
1/2 cup of shaved parmesan

For the sweet vinaigrette

1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the honey-roasted walnuts

2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon of dried chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
pinch of sea salt
2 cups of walnuts

Method:

Roast the sweet potatoes.
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C) and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and ground spices. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well to coat the potatoes with the spices.
3. Spread the potatoes on one sheet pan and roast for about 30 minutes until they are tender and starting to brown.
Prepare the walnuts.
1. Combine the honey with the chili flakes, turmeric, salt, and enough water to make a thick paste. (I did this in the same bowl I used for the sweet potatoes.)
2. Coat the walnuts with the paste and spread on the second baking sheet.
3. Roast for 10-12 minutes until the walnuts are crunchy and almost dry. They will crisp as they cool. Watch them carefully as they will burn quickly. They may still be a bit sticky which is fine.
Make the sweet vinaigrette.
1. Whisk together all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the lentils.
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the lentils, and simmer over medium heat until they are tender but not falling apart. Use the directions on your package for timing. Drain.
2. While the lentils are still warm, stir through the vinaigrette.
Assemble the salad in a large bowl or on a platter. Combine half the herbs with the arugula, sweet potato, and lentils. Season well.
To serve, scatter over the remaining herbs, the walnuts, and shaved parmesan.

Serve the salad at room temperature. It can be made ahead up to step 5. Bring it to room temperature before serving and add the herbs, walnuts, and parmesan.