Roasted Vege Salad

Are you looking for a colourful healthy dish to take to a friend’s house, or do you just want to have something different at home? You need to try this Roasted Vege Salad.

I often make this for Christmas day. It is just so colourful, and gorgeous to eat. Last weekend we celebrated my Mum’s birthday, and I made this dish again. It’s combination of two recipes that I have used over the years.  The veges can also be cooked on the BBQ.

Warning: there is a bit of prep involved but you won’t regret it. This recipe is so adaptable for anything you have at hand.  Suggested root vegetables – parsnip, kumara, pumpkin, carrots. The courgettes can be replaced with steamed beans, or grilled asparagus.

ROASTED VEGE SALAD

Serves 6 -8

1/4 Pumpkin

3 medium carrots

2 red peppers

2 yellow peppers

2 courgettes

3 red onions

OIL GLAZE

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

Salt and pepper grinds

DRESSING

Juice and rind one orange

1/3 c grapeseed oil

2tsp rice wine/sherry vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

several grinds of pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C on fan bake.

Take the skin off the pumpkin and cut into small wedges. Peel the carrots, and cut in quarters lengthwise. Place in a bowl.

Mix together the olive oil and the maple syrup and pour half the mixture over the prepared root vegetables. Toss the veges in the oil mixture and place in suitable roasting pan in the pre-heated oven. The root vegetables should take 25 – 30 minutes to cook, they will be slightly browned and caramelised. Turn once during the cooking process.

Deseed and core the peppers and cut in half, then into thirds.  If using smaller peppers, cut into quarters.  Deskin the red onions and cut off stringy ends of root, but make sure the root is still intact. Cut onions into quarters. Cut the courgettes quarters lenghtwise. Toss prepared vegetables in remaining oil and syrup mixture.

Spread peppers, and onions in single layer in oven tray and cook for 15 – 20 minutes, until peppers start to shrivel and darken. The courgettes can be added later, as they only need 10 minutes to cook.

The maple syrup adds a hint of caramelisation to the veges. Just use extra olive oil, if you don’t have any maple syrup in the pantry.

Layer slightly cooled veges on a white platter, starting with the pumpkin, carrots, then peppers and courgettes. Garnish with the roasted red onions, and some sliced cherry tomatoes if desired.  To add an extra hint of colour, add fresh basil. Just before serving top with prepared dresssing.

The veges can be served warm, or at room temperature. Enjoy!