Feta has had a spot in the limelight these past few years as an ultimate easy dinner prep with a wow factor. Surely you’ve seen the ‘baked feta pasta’ phenomenon on TikTok a few years back or recently the ‘frying eggs in feta’ hack… Needless to say, it’s hard not to love this block of salty goodness which unsurprisingly is also absolutely delicious paired with sweet seasonal blackberries.
The below recipe is a healthy and filling vegetarian dish that you could easily eat at any time of the day. It’s from Green Kitchen: Quick and Slow which features lovely, low-effort vegetarian recipes for busy weekdays just like this one.
Nestle a block of feta comfortably in a bowl of pre-cooked black lentils and top with lemon zest, fresh thyme and a drizzle of olive oil. What a pretty tableau.
Bake for a quick 8 minutes in the oven before giving it the final touch: a honey glaze to briefly broil until golden and crisp.
Scatter a few hazelnuts you would have roasted at the same time, a handful of spinach leaves, and a quick blackberry vinaigrette (a simple mashing of a few berries with shallots, red wine vinegar, honey and olive oil).
Superbly comforting with a nice mix of salty, sweet, and tart and the crunch factor from the hazelnuts… a winner for the speedy repertoire that is both healthy and pretty to look at!
| Total Time: | 30 min |
| Cuisine: | Mediterranean |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
2. Place the lentils in a small ovenproof dish. Pour over the stock and give it a stir, then distribute the lentils evenly around the dish, making space for the feta in the middle.
3. Place the feta in the space, then scatter over the lemon zest and thyme, and drizzle with the olive oil. Place in the middle of the oven, then place the hazelnuts on a small baking tray (pan) on the rack below. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove both items from the oven. Preheat the grill (broil) to its highest setting. Drizzle the honey over the feta, then grill for 4 minutes or until golden.
4. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Mash the blackberries in a small bowl with a fork, then add the shallot or spring onion, olive oil, vinegar and honey. Season to taste.
5. Chop the toasted hazelnuts.
6. To serve, take out 2 plates or bowls and place a handful of spinach on each.
7. Top with the lentils, then halve the feta and place on top. Drizzle over the blackberry vinaigrette and finish with a sprinkle of hazelnuts.
9. Cooking lentils: We use pre-cooked lentils in this recipe but if you prefer cooking your own, bring 375ml water to a boil, add 100g black lentils and simmer for about 13 minutes or until just tender (remember that they will continue to cook in the oven) adding a pinch of salt towards the end.
100 ml good-quality vegetable stock
200 g block of feta
zest of 1 lemon
2 thyme sprigs leaves picked
2 tbsp olive oil
1 handful hazelnuts
2 tsp honey
2 handfuls baby spinach
For the blackberry vinaigrette
75 g fresh blackberries (or use frozen ones, thawed)
1.5 small shallot or spring onion finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
