Cinderella’s fairy godmother wasted a good pumpkin when she magicked that carriage into existence. Pumpkin that would have gone down oh so well roasted in honey and tossed with a few other garden goodies. Seriously, couldn’t she have picked a walnut shell or something?
At least Habitat know the best way to make use of a pumpkin – roast it up, toss it with cheese and greens and give it a generous drizzle of chilli capsicum aioli. If you’re already tired of the Caesar and tuna salads you’ve been sticking to for lunch in anticipation of summer, here’s a hearty salad from Habitat’s Executive Chef Luke Tye that you’ll be eating even after summer is over.
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 1 butternut pumpkin, cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 buffalo mozzarella
- 150g herbed croutons
- 200g rocket or baby spinach
- 1 whole egg
- ½ lemon, juice and zest
- 400ml vegetable oil
- ¼ tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 large roasted capsicum, peeled
- 1 chillies, roasted
- ½ tbsp chilli sauce
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Toss pumpkin with honey and salt and pepper to taste and roast on a baking tray until pumpkin is cooked (approx. 25 minutes). Leave to cool.
- Tear mozzarella into small chunks and place in a bowl with the cooled pumpkin, herbed croutons, rocket and dressing and toss to combine.
- Blend eggs, mustard, lemon juice and zest then slowly add oil and blend until thick.
- Add peeled and seeded capsicum, chilli sauce and chilli and blend until smooth, with a little water if the dressing becomes too thick.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
