WARM KALE AND ROOT VEGETABLE SALAD WITH A WINTER HERB SALSA VERDE

Preparation 30 minutes Cooking 35 minutes Serves 4 The feta in this salad is entirely optional, but it makes a delicious addition. If you do use it, bear its saltiness in mind when seasoning the salsa verde.

750g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into thick batons 10 baby beetroot, scrubbed and trimmed 2 tbsp olive oil 200g Puy lentils 100g kale 150g feta cheese, drained and broken into large pieces FOR THE SALSA VERDE 150g kale, tough stalks removed and leaves

roughly chopped large handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 2 tsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained 2½ tbsp red wine vinegar 120ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for dressing Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan oven) gas mark 5. Toss the sweet potato and beets with the olive oil. Season generously and spread them out in a lined baking tin. Roast for 30-35 minutes until caramelised and soft. Meanwhile, make the salsa verde by blitzing all the ingredients together in a food processor with 3 tbsp water to make a textured dressing. Taste and add a little more red wine vinegar, oil or seasoning, if necessary. Place the lentils in a medium pan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil, partially cover and simmer for around 20 minutes until they are tender, but retain a little bite. Drain and return to the pan. Stir in a heaped tablespoon of the salsa verde with a glug of olive oil and season well. Keep warm. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add a large pinch of salt and plunge in the kale. Boil for a couple of minutes, until just tender, then drain and dress with a little olive oil. Fold the kale, sweet potatoes and beets through the lentils with the feta and serve with extra salsa verde on the side.