Lentil Salad with Roasted Oranges and Radicchio

• 2 medium oranges
• 1 head radicchio, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced (4 cups)
• 4 large shallots, thinly sliced lengthwise (2 cups)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
• 1 cup French or Puy lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• ½ cup toasted walnuts
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Trim orange ends all the way to juicy flesh. Stand fruit upright, and remove peel and pith with paring knife, following curve of fruit from top to bottom. Hold fruit over large bowl, and cut sections along membranes to release each wedge. Set segments aside, and squeeze empty membrane over separate bowl to capture any remaining juice.

 

Add radicchio, shallots, and 1 Tbs. oil to bowl with orange segments. Season with salt, if desired, and toss gently. Spread mixture in single layer on baking sheet, and roast 25 minutes, or until oranges begin to brown and caramelize, stirring once and rotating tray halfway through.

 

Meanwhile, bring lentils, 11/2 cups water, and orange juice to boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

 

Drain lentils, and transfer to large bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Return liquid to saucepan, and simmer over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Pour over lentils.

 

Add roasted orange-vegetable mixture to lentils with remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil, walnuts, and mint. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  

 

Serves 6 (1 c.); 279 calories.

 

VERDICT:  I was intrigued by roasting oranges, but I don't think I did it right--they just seemed like orange segments, but hot.  On the whole, not bad, considering it has radicchio in it, but not really worth the effort.  Perhaps if I had served it over peppery greens as suggested, it would have been stunning, but I did not.  Toss.