An easy dinner packed with colourful plants and leaves. You could make a batch of the salad by itself for lunchboxes, but the trout elevates it to a filling dinner for two. You can, of course, use your preferred fish: any thick fillets, such as cod, pollack or haddock, would work well here. And if you don’t have pumpkin seeds, substitute breadcrumbs or any type of nut.
Baked trout with beetroot, lentil and pomegranate salad
Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2
4 medium beetroot, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp flaky sea salt
250g packet cooked puy and green lentils
50g baby leaf spinach, roughly chopped
90g pomegranate seeds (from about ½ pomegranate)
3 tbsp roughly chopped walnuts
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½-1 large lemon, juiced
2 trout fillets
2 tsp smooth dijon mustard
2 heaped tsp pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Tip the beetroot and onion into a shallow roasting tin big enough to hold them in one layer, add the olive oil, cumin and half a teaspoon of flaky sea salt, toss to coat, then roast for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the lentils, spinach, pomegranate seeds and walnuts in a large bowl. Whisk the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice and remaining teaspoon of sea salt, until emulsified, then use this to dress the lentils.
Put the trout fillets on a small, lined baking tray, spread each one with a teaspoon of mustard, then scatter with the chopped pumpkin seeds. When there’s 15 minutes left on the beetroot, put the trout fillets in the oven so they’ll be ready at the same time.
Stir the hot roast beetroot and onions through the lentils, taste and adjust the salt and lemon as needed, and serve alongside the trout.
