Introduction
We LOVE the colors and textures in this dish (and the flavors; of course). It's a hearty; versatile vegetarian option -- or vegan; if you skip the hunks of cheese -- and makes an elegant lunch alongside a bowl of soup or a tartine. It plays well with meat and fish; too; if you're feeling carnivorous! We've served it with trout and branzino; roasted whole (tuck the fish in with the citrus/fennel/shallots and roast 'em together); and it's wonderful with grilled or pan-roasted wild Pacific salmon; too. It would be fantastic with grilled pork chops or as a side for a pork rib roast; if you're cooking for a crowd.
Ingredients
Instructions
Shave the fennel; shallots; two lemons and four tangerines very finely on a mandoline (find our favorite one in the shop). Slice the citrus over a bowl (so you can collect the juices!) and pick out any seeds.In a cast iron or heavy roasting pan; toss the sliced fennel; shallots; citrus (and any juices) and with olive oil; rosemary; salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the leftover citrus nubs over it all. Cut the remaining lemon and tangerines in half and tuck them into the roasting pan; cut side down. Roast at 400°F until everything is nicely caramelized. Keep a close eye on the pan; once things start to take color; and give a stir if things are starting to brown unevenly. (But don't over-stir; or it won't caramelize!) You want some nice toasty bits here; but not burnt. (Scroll down for before and after pics...though we let some of the citrus get a wee bit too toasty in the second set of images; so aim for a notch less caramelized than that; will ya?)Shave Brussels sprouts as thinly as possible on a mandoline. Slice chard into thin (⅛-inch thick) ribbons. Remove the pan from the oven; remove cut citrus; and stir the contents of the pan to loosen anything that's stuck to the bottom. Add the lentils; Brussels sprouts and chard; drizzle with a bit more olive oil; squeeze the roasted citrus halves over top; and toss well to incorporate. Taste and season with olive oil and salt as needed. Stud some hunks of feta or manouri into it; if you'd like.