As March progresses into April and beyond, the desire for salads grows stronger at my table. But just because we're aching for salads doesn't mean we're quite ready for spring greens, ramps, and asparagus to show up anywhere local yet. So this is the time of the year where I rely on blends of ingredients that satisfy my cravings without requiring me to have access to Spring's bounty yet. Enter this stunning salad that features baby spinach and red onions (available year round) tossed with tender lentils and nuts that get nestled atop some thin wedges of roasted pumpkin.
You can use nearly any kind of pumpkin or squash for this. If you have a large variety, you might wish to halve or quarter your wedges. I used a Black Futsu Pumpkin from my last CSA box. It is a small variety of pumpkin that has a rich orange flesh that is sweet and tender when roasted. You can cook your own lentils until tender (add 1 cup of lentils to 2+ cups of boiling water - reduce and simmer for 16-20 minutes or until tender) or pick up a package of steamed lentils from Trader Joe's. As is often the case, you can use other nuts, seeds, and dried fruit than called for in this recipe. These are what I like and had on hand when I made mine.
This salad is stunning enough to hold its own as a main course lunch, but also plays well with all manner of other dishes - including those that might grace your table at brunch,