Honey-roasted pumpkin salad (featuring the trick that might change your mind about bitter leaves)

Name: Honey-roasted pumpkin salad (featuring the trick that might change your mind about bitter leaves)
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Contemporary
Ingredients: 550g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2-3mm slices (results in about 400g pumpkin); 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 tsp honey; 70g (store-bought) pumpkin seeds; 400g radicchio leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade); 1 cup chopped mint, loosely packed; 100g crumbled fresh goat’s cheese

Danielle Alvarez

March 8, 2024

Pumpkin and radicchio salad with sweet and sour dressing and goat’s cheese.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

You may have heard me say this before, but I love radicchio. In fact, I am a fan of all members of the chicory or bitter-leaf family. I dislike aggressive bitterness, however. The best way to avoid that is to eat these leaves in season, which is late autumn and throughout winter. Sometimes, though, I just can’t help myself and I seek them out early.

The next best way to combat bitterness is to soak the chopped leaves in ice water for about 30 minutes. Most people don’t realise that this simple step removes about 60 per cent of the bitterness, leaving you with a crunchy, tender leaf that just loves a sweet and sour dressing like the one in this salad. This dish is on repeat in my house for good reason.

Ingredients

550g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2-3mm slices (results in about 400g pumpkin)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp honey
70g (store-bought) pumpkin seeds
400g radicchio leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
1 cup chopped mint, loosely packed
100g crumbled fresh goat’s cheese

FOR THE Balsamic VINAIGRETTE

2 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey

Method

Step 1
To make the salad, combine the pumpkin slices, olive oil, honey and some salt in a large mixing bowl and toss until well coated. Spread this out across two large baking trays lined with baking paper. Bake for about 20-25 minutes – halfway through, use a thin spatula to flip the pumpkin slices over – cooking until the pumpkin is golden-brown, cooked through and just beginning to burn at the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Step 2
Turn the oven down to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional), place the pumpkin seeds on a tray and toast for 5-7 minutes until they’re golden-brown. Allow them to cool.
Step 3
Add the radicchio and mint to a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
Step 4
For the vinaigrette, add the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey and a pinch of salt to a jar and close the lid tightly. Shake the jar vigorously to mix.
Step 5
Add the roasted pumpkin and pumpkin seeds to the radicchio salad and drizzle the vinaigrette over the top. Taste and adjust with salt.
Step 6
Serve the salad on a large platter or four individual plates, crumbling the goat’s cheese over the top. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper.