Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Recipes / Lentils with roasted pumpkin and chilli-marinated feta

Lentils with roasted pumpkin and chilli-marinated feta

by Jeanne Horak on January 10, 2019 5 Comments in Gluten-free, Main course - vegetarian, Pulses, Recipes, Vegetarian

Lentil-squash-feta-Casserole
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

When I was searching for a New Year’s quote as an opening line to this blog post, the kind of things that kept coming up either perkily referenced how the year lay before us like a blank page waiting to be written/blank canvas waiting to be painted/journey waiting to be embarked upon/ bla bla bla; or expressed variations on a theme of “never look back, look only forwards”.  Much as I don’t believe in getting maudlin dwelling on past events that you cannot ever change, I actually don’t agree entirely with the mindless insistence on never looking back. In fact, without looking back you can never understand how you got to where you are; you cannot measure how far you have come; and you can never learn from past mistakes.  Far more meaningful to me is this, which expresses one of life’s great truths and great paradoxes:

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
Soren Kierkegaard

A year ago I was in limbo, standing on the threshold of great life changes that I could not really fathom or visualise yet. I had received my final divorce decree after 18 years of marriage just before Christmas, a week after our 18th wedding anniversary.  It was a surreal but undramatic event after more than a year of separation but it was the catalyst for a lot of what was to come in 2018, the start of a future I could not foresee.

A year ago I had not yet even viewed the house that I was to buy in the summer.  I could not even visualise myself living or feeling settled anywhere other than in the house that Nick and I bought together in 2009.  I had put a lot of my soul into the house and put my stamp on it, but I also sadly knew that it was too big and too expensive for me to buy.

A year ago I naively thought that four months was enough for a chain-free buyer to buy a house in this country. Well, it might be, but only if the sellers do not lie with a straight face about almost everything, including the fact that THEY were in a chain, and that this chain had collapsed.

A year ago, I was pretty sure (see abovementioned naive belief!) that I would be able to move from my old house directly into my new house – an important consideration for somebody who has no family in this country where most friends’ houses do not have the luxury of guest rooms. All the friends who I had once imagined might be able to put me up had left the city (or the country) and looking into the murky future I just saw not a lot of options.  Hello, Air BnB??

 

Brown-Lentils © J Horak 2018

 

As it turned out, I was without a home for four and a half months – first because I could not for love or money get the sellers to complete the sale; and then because my builders (the same ones whom I do love dearly and who did my renovations in 2009) were summer holiday demob happy and all sorts of snags dragged on and on for far longer than I dreamed possible,

At many points in 2018 I just felt ready to throw in the towel.  From the first viewing in January of the house that I was to buy until… well, until about Christmas, was probably the most difficult year of my life – an annus horribilis where I felt alone and frustrated at every turn. And yet I had to just carry on living forwards, step by step, without being sure of what the future held.  But now, looking back a year later, I can reflect on both the bad and the at-the-time invisible good bits of the past year. The fact that the house I found is utterly perfect for me (a carbon copy of the one we rented back in 2000!); that I have friends who are more amazing than I ever knew and who put me up for nearly 5 months and then helped me move, unpack, build IKEA furniture and generally kept me going when I wanted to give up; and the satisfaction of looking back and seeing how far I have come in a year. But most of all, the understanding that, even when the future seems difficult, dark and uncertain, you need to keep living your life forwards.  Even when it looks like every step forwards will bring bigger problems, I guarantee you that in a year’s time everything will be clearer looking back, and you will surprise yourself at how far you have come without noticing.

 

Lentil-pumpkin-feta-Casserole2

 

That’s not to say that I have a new-found love for upheaval! Despite my best efforts, embracing change has never been my strong suit.  There were times over the past year when I felt sure that my happiness was somehow tied to my old house and that I would never be as happy anywhere else.  But the one thing I keep repeating to myself is this quote from American author Tad Williams: “Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head.”.  One of the ways I make a home out of a strange place is by cooking the same dishes over the years in different places – dishes of celebration, dishes of indulgence, and dishes of comfort. I first made a version of this supremely comforting lentil dish in the very first apartment that I owned in South Africa and I still make it today when I need cocooning and comfort.  It is a very forgiving recipe and I have made it with various different types of lentils and various different types of roasted squash – but it is always easy and always comforting.

In the spirit of trying to generate a more positive 2019, I recently made this dish as a new year’s treat.  As you may know, lentils are among the “lucky” foods traditionally eaten at new year to cultivate good fortune for the coming 12 months.  The reasoning behind this is said to be the resemblance that lentils bear to coins and that eating them will therefore attract good financial fortune. Now I don’t know about your country, but in my country coins don’t look a whole lot like lentils… However, lentils are an ancient food and one of those most frequently mentioned in Greek and Roman literature – and if you think of Roman coins (small, irregularly shaped and with a brown patina), the connection becomes far more apparent. And even if this dish does not bring you financial fortune, it will bring you comfort and deliciousness.  All the best for 2019 to you and your loved ones!

 

Lentil-pumpkin-feta-Casserole3

 

If you love lentils, you’ll also love my:

  • Spicy lentil, radish and parsley salad
  • Roasted red pepepr and lentil soup
  • Red lentil soup with harissa croutons
5 from 1 vote
Lentil-pumpkin-feta-CasseroleCover
Print
Lentils with roasted pumpkin & chilli marinated feta
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 

Nutty lentils, caramelised pumpkin and spicy feta cheese combine to make this a simple but deeply satisfying winter dish

Course: Main Course
Servings: 4
Author: Jeanne Horak
Ingredients
  • 400 g Pumpkin, peeled and cubed
  • 30+15+300 ml olive oil
  • 2 tsp dried thyme leaves
  • salt and pepper
  • 200 g feta cheese, cubed
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 cup dried brown/green lentils
  • 500 ml water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
Instructions
  1. You can buy ready-marinated chilli feta, but if making your own, drain the feta and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1.5cm cubes. Finely slice the chilli, and place in a clean 400ml glass jar with a lid. Add the feta cubes, then add enough olive oil to cover (about 300ml), seal jar and gently shake to distribute the chilli.  Leave in the fridge for 24 hours to allow the flavours to develop.

  2. Pre-heat the oven to 200C and place the cubed pumpkin in a shallow roasting dish. Add the remaining clove of minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste and 30 ml olive oil. Toss lightly to coat and roast for 25-30 mins, turning occasionally, until soft and starting to caramelise.

  3. Rinse the lentils in plenty of cold water. In a large saucepan, heat 15ml olive oil, add chopped onion and clove of minced garlic and fry until soft but not caramelised. Add the rinsed lentils and bay leaf and stir to mix, then add the water and bring quickly to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are al dente. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste and remove bay leaf.

 

More deliciousness for you!

  • Smashed pea, feta and mint crostiniSmashed pea, feta and mint crostini
  • Roasted beetroot, rocket and feta salad with mustard lemon dressingRoasted beetroot, rocket and feta salad with mustard lemon dressing
  • Masala-roasted pumpkin salad with halloumi and rocketMasala-roasted pumpkin salad with halloumi and rocket
  • Spaghetti squash, feta and chilli risottoSpaghetti squash, feta and chilli risotto

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« The Neff gingerbread house bake-off
Saturday Snapshots #313 »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Nadia says

    January 11, 2019 at 10:49 am

    Best of luck and happiness in 2019. You had a tough year but it will soon be behind you and you have nothing but happiness and adventure ahead of you.
    I went through a similar time in 2011 but also met my new husband soon thereafter.

    Reply
  2. solange says

    January 12, 2019 at 6:00 pm

    Lentils and pumpkin, a lovely winter combo. Happy new year Jeanne. May it be sweet and fulfilling.

    Reply
  3. Fiona Maclean says

    January 13, 2019 at 7:55 pm

    Happy New Year to you Jeanne, I am so happy for you in your new home…and this recipe looks really delish – the sort of thing I’d happily scoff for supper!

    Reply
  4. Crysta Parkinson says

    January 13, 2019 at 8:22 pm

    I am loving this lentils recipe, and thinking it is the perfect thing to warm up with on a cold winter day! It looks amazing, and sounds even better. Thank you for sharing it!

    Reply
  5. The Girl Next Door says

    January 14, 2019 at 4:08 am

    I’m sorry to hear about the upheavals you have had in your life, but glad to note that you are finding your foothold back. Great going, and good luck!

    These lentils with roasted pumpkin and chilli-marinated feta look incredible! Lovely presentation as well. 🙂

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Perfect broccoli and Stilton soup [keto, low carb, GF]
  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
My big, fat South African potato bake
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need to get down to @canarywharflondon between now and Saturday 28 Jan to catch the free Winter Lights 2023 event, back for the seventh year.

My favourites include @lukejerramartist ‘s Floating Earth; Tom Lambert’s Out of the Dark; Fluorescent Firs; Toroid by This is Loop; and the surreal and mesmerising Anima by MEATS - a tunnel filled with hundreds of thin optical fibre lights that change colour and move in the breeze 😍 

Have you been to Winter Lights? What was your favourite?
“When we look down at the Earth from space, we s “When we look down at the Earth from space, we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet. It looks like a living, breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile.” - International Space Station astronaut Ron Garamond

To experience the “overview effect” (a phenomenon experienced by astronauts viewing the earth from space), head down to Canary Wharf in the London docklands this week where you can see @lukejerramartist ‘s beautiful Floating Earth installation as part of the Winter Lights event. 

This giant 10m diameter installation is created using high resolution NASA images to create a floating scale model of the Earth, lit from within so that it glows from its current home on the Middle Dock, surrounded by the headquarters of international banking and finance corporations.

The artist hopes that viewed in this context, the installation will make visitors and the bankers working in surrounding buildings question how their money in savings and pensions is invested, and whether investments can be greener.

Aside from being a thought provoking piece, it is also mesmerising and surreally beautiful, so make sure you visit the free Winter Lights event before ends on Saturday 28 Jan.
Happy lunar new year! [Invited] To celebrate the Happy lunar new year! 

[Invited] To celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, why not head over to @mamachensdumplings currently doing a residence at the @thegantrylondon in #stratford where you can feast on prawn & chive dumplings; pork, Chinese cabbage and shiitake mushroom dumplings; pork & prawn wontons with Mama Chen’s chilli oil; vegetable dumplings; smacked cucumber salad; and spicy noodles coated in garlic and Szechuan pepper oil.

And afterwards, make sure you head up to the @unionsocialoc bar for a cocktail - I loved the Moreish Fashion with bourbon, PX sherry, chestnuts and mandarin orange bitters!
Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Chr Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Christmas? Turn it into this super simple and super indulgent broccoli and Stilton soup! So easy to make and soooo delicious to eat - and it is low carb and GF. What more could you want?! Click the link in my bio for the full recipe. What’s your favourite soup?
CELEBRATE. So the fireworks are over, the champag CELEBRATE.

So the fireworks are over, the champagne is finished and the leftovers are all eaten. We are one week into 2023 and I have had some time to think about what my intent is for the year. 

In 2022 my brother had a life saving kidney transplant. Since the operation, he has had a Peanuts cartoon as his WhatsApp profile pic, where Charlie Brown and Snoopy are sitting on a pier talking. Charlie says “Some day, we all die Snoopy.” And Snoopy replies: “Yes - but every other day, we will live.”

Waking up in the morning is a gift, every day, and it is so easy to forget this. The last few years have been difficult for so many people and the coming year promises its own challenges. But every day that we don’t die is a day to live, to celebrate life in some small way.

So my intention in 2023 is to celebrate. Celebrate our achievements however small. Celebrate our friends and family. Celebrate small things. Celebrate life.

Did you make any resolutions or goals for 2023? I would love to hear them in the comments! Wishing you all the very best for 2023 🥂
Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes fro Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes from last night with friends in Deptford. My deconstructed avocado ritz; @twinkleparkstephen ‘s bobitie; Giles’ Ottolenghi tomato salad; and Jean’s clementine trifle - and the London night sky ablaze with fireworks!  How did you spend your evening? 🥂🎇🎆
Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope your day was merry and bright, filled with family, friends and love 🎄🥂. Mine was spent alone at home - my choice and the result of a combination of Covid (not mine!) and rail strikes 🤦‍♀️ but very relaxing and indulgent!
Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter y Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter you can make ahead? Look no further than my individual smoked salmon terrine! Hot smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives wrapped in cold smoked salmon in a ramekin. Still one of the most popular Christmas recipes in my blog, it looks cheffy but is soooo simple to make - and will save you time and effort on the day! Get the recipe by clicking on the link in my bio.

How is your Christmas meal prep going? Are you entertaining at home or going to friends or family? 🎄🥂🎄🥂🎄
Looking for a brilliant biryani near Marble Arch? Looking for a brilliant biryani near Marble Arch? I recently enjoyed a feast at Biryani Kebab Chai @bkc.restaurant on Edgeware Road, including wonderful sweet, spicy and crunchy papri chaat; smoky burrah lamb kebab; galouti lamb patties; juicy chaap chicken thigh kebab; spicy chapli chicken patties; and the surprising vegetarian dahi ke patties made of yoghurt! We also tried the chicken and soya biryanis, both with incredibly fluffy and delicately spiced rice. You can get their biryanis as a 1kg takeaway, served in a beautiful branded clay pot that serves 3-4 people, for about £30. Bargain! We also took home a sample of their desserts, including a fragrant and delicious kheer rice pudding. If you are in the Marble Arch area, get yourself to BKC!  #invited #bkcrestaurants
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Bowls of broccoli and Stilton soup
Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2023 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2023 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT