Warm Pumpkin and Feta Salad with Baby Spinach
Ingredients
½ medium pumpkin, peeled and cut into 5cm cubes
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch round green beans, blanched and cut into 8-10cm lengths
DRESSING
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ balsamic vinegar
dash of raspberry vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 heaped teaspoon whole mustard seeds
juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
TO SERVE
200g creamy cows’ milk feta, diced
½ red onion, finely sliced
good handful (50g) baby spinach
Description
Paula Schwass, the former owner of Cavalli Beach-House Retreat north of Kerikeri, is an enthusiastic cook and gardener. I stayed there when I was doing the research for a story on the Far North, and she served this unusual salad as part of an alfresco dinner. I thought it would make a great entrée on its own, served with some crusty brown sourdough bread. Paula grows the native New Zealand spinach but city dwellers with no access could use tender baby spinach leaves.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Drizzle the pumpkin with olive oil; season and roast until tender (about 30minutes). Turn only once as pumpkin tends to become squishy. For the final four minutes of roasting, add the beans to the roasting pan.
Make the dressing by shaking all the ingredients together in a screw top jar.
To serve, pile the hot roasted pumpkin and beans in the middle of a platter and put the diced feta on top. Scatter the red onion over the top also. Surround the pumpkin with baby spinach leaves. Drizzle with dressing (the whole lot won't be needed, which is why it is great in a jar).
Categories
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