Carrot, Date & Puy Lentil Salad

Serves 4

Get ahead — roast the pine nuts and toast the sesame seeds, if using, and make the dressing in advance.

• 650g (1lb 7oz) small or baby carrots

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp ras el hanout

• 200g (7oz) natural vegan yogurt

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 2 × 250g (9oz) pouches of ready-cooked Puy lentils

• ½ small bunch (about 15g/½oz) mint

• ½ small bunch (about 15g/½oz) flat leaf parsley • Salt and pepper

For the dressing:

• ‘Honey' & Mustard (see recipe)

Toppers:

• 30g (1oz) pine nuts (optional)

• 30g (1oz) sesame seeds (optional)

• A few of the herb leaves (mint and parsley) • Big pinch chilli powder

1 Roast the pine nuts; toast the sesame seeds if using.

2 Turn the oven up (or preheat) to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/Gas 6. Halve any chunkier carrots lengthways, then add them all to a large roasting tray with the oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the cumin seeds and ras el hanout along with a big pinch of salt and pepper, then roast for 40 minutes or until charred and soft.

3 Meanwhile, make the dressing. Put all the ingredients including 2 of the dates into a mini chopper or blender and blitz until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then taste and add a little more vinegar to taste — you want it to be balanced between sweetness and acidity. Add the final date if you prefer it a little sweeter and blitz to combine.

4 Whisk the yoghurt with the tahini in a bowl, adding a splash of water if it seizes — you want it to be thick enough to spread across a plate.

5 Once the carrots are cooked, remove from the oven. Add the lentils to the roasting tray. Pull the herb leaves from the stems and add most of them to the tray. Add the dressing along with a splash of boiling water, and gently toss everything to combine.

6 Spread the tahini yoghurt on to a large plate and top with the carrots and lentils. Sprinkle over the remaining herb leaves, and the toasted pine nuts and sesame seeds if using, and finish with the chilli powder.

‘Honey’ & Mustard Dressing

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 1-2 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar • 1 tsp 2-3 pitted dates, blitzed

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Salt and pepper

• Optional: add a grated garlic clove 1 Put the oil, vinegar, dates and mustard in a large serving or mixing bowl, season generously with salt and pepper and whisk until combined. Alternatively, put the ingredients in a clean jam jar, screw on the lid tightly and shake well. Store the jar for up to a week.

Recipe from Salads Are More Than Leaves by Elena Silcock (published by Hamlyn, £20). Photography by Chloe Hardwick.