A few weeks ago Georgina from Fuggle Antics proposed a recipe exchange. Of course I jumped at the idea! It is a lovely way to meet get inspired, find new ingredients, add recipes to the repertoire and meet new people. I have posted a recipe on her blog for a Tarragon and Apple salad and today she is posting a gorgeous fall salad recipe here. Below, she shares her recipe for a bright autumnal salad. YUM!
The change in Seasons between the warm summer and dusky autumn always seems the
starkest of the four. Long days are squeezed into seemingly shorter hours, coldness bites
and our menus shift from vibrant citrus to a russet palette.
We’ve had change in our home. My husband has abandoned his long, disheartening
commute in favour of working closer to home so we have him for a more minutes in each day. Even these relatively few moments lift the atmosphere and make the days feel simpler
for me; I’m able to indulge in food a little more easily and have verve enough to cook for us
all.
My youngest baby seems only to eat orange food at the moment so he is in heaven with
October’s bounty of carrots, squash and pumpkin, I feel like I’m roasting them every day. So
this recipe is an ode to him, though I’m not sure what he would make of parsley and
freekah.
This salad is a flawless, auburn Autumnal number. Sweet pumpkin and chestnuts with sour
feta and plenty of fresh parsley. I’ve used a gorgeous blue pumpkin; they have a robust
flavour and a sweet sticky texture ideal for roasting. And Meet Freekeh – the Middle Eastern
grain that is stacked full of protein, very easy to make and has an unusual smoky taste when
cooked (once picked, the wheat is roasted over fire to burn away the husks). It is becoming
widely available and worth seeking out. But don’t panic if you can’t find it, use cous cous or
barley.
We ate this for dinner with nothing more than a glass of water and a bar of dark chocolate
for pudding. I hope you all enjoy it.
ROASTED PUMPKIN WITH FREEKEH, CHESTNUTS, FETA AND PARSLEY
PREP TIME – 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME – 40 MINUTES
SERVES – 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1 medium pumpkin, peeled and sliced into crescents
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp dried chili flakes
50g Freekeh (alternatively cous cous or barley)
1 onion, sliced
180g Merchant Gormet Whole Chestnuts, roughly chopped
100g Feta, crumbled
1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
A handful of Parsley, leaves picked
FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas 6.
2. Arrange the pumpkin on two baking trays. Drizzle the 1 tbsp. olive oil over the crescents
and gently coat before sprinkling over the chili flakes. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes or until the crescents begin to caramelize. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
3. Bring a medium pot of water to boil and add the freekeh. Bring back to a boil, then cover
the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the grains are al
dente. Drain excess water and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in large frying pan over a high heat. Add the sliced
onion and fry for 2-3 minutes, until softened before stirring through the chestnuts and
rosemary. Continue to cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
5. Get your dressing ready by whisking (or vigorously shaking) the crushed garlic, olive oil,
balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard. Taste and adjust according to your pallet, this is the
moment to trust your own opinion.
6. Place the squash crescents in a large mixing bowl and add the freekeh, fried onion and
chestnuts. Add the parsley leaves and half the crumbled feta. Pour over the dressing and
very gently, mix with your hands until the ingredients are combined.
7. Arrange the salad on a platter, season with salt and black pepper and garnish with the
remaining crumbled feta and a few extra parsley leaves.