Halloumi and Lentils w/ Garlic Butter Mushrooms & Wilted Spinach

halloumi--puy-green-lentils-garlic-butter-mushroom-spinach-recipe-tiny-budget-cooking-limahl-asmall-lunch-dinner

Halloumi and Lentils w/ Garlic Butter Mushrooms & Wilted Spinach

Recipe adapted from the Tiny Budget Cookbook

Limahl Asmall

21.11.2017

"This is a beauty of a recipe that's both simple and full of flavour. It has tons of goodness and makes a great packed lunch or easy supper. It can be adapted for meat eaters with the addition of a couple rashers of cooked bacon."

Cook Time: 11 mins | Servings: 2 | Difficulty: easy

INGREDIENTS

SWAP SHOP

250g pack of Merchant Gourmet cooked puy lentils

1 x 400g tin of cooked lentils (or cook 100g dry lentils - see note)

125g halloumi

125g feta or goats cheese

1 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

300g mushrooms, cut into quarters

1 courgette cut into 2-3 cm pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

1 spring onions, finely chopped

salt and pepper

1/3 red onion, very finely sliced

1/4 white onion, very finely sliced

1 handful of spinach, rochly chopped

1 handful of watercress, roughly chopped

METHOD

Rinse the lentils under cold running water,then drain well and add to a small cooking ot with a dash of water. Heat gently over a low heat whilst preparing the rest of the dish.
Slice the halloumi into 5mm strips, then tear it into 2–3cm widths. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the halloumi pieces for 1–2 minutes until the underside is golden. Turn the halloumi over and fry for another minute, then add it to the lentils.
Melt the butter in the frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic and spring onion and toss and turn them for 1–2 minutes so they heat through but remain firm. Season well with salt and pepper, then add them to the lentils.
Add the red onion and a handful of chopped spinach. Toss together and serve.

ADDITIONS

2 rashers of bacon, cut into 2-3 cm pieces and cooked until crispy.

NOTES

Green (or Puy) lentils are used here as they hold their shape when cooked. You can use cooked lentils from a packet or can, or you can cook your own in boiling salted water for 30 minutes. Add in an onion, a clove of garlic, a tbsp olive oil and a good pinch of salt to the water to create beautifully flavoured lentils.