Warm Roasted Squash & Broccoli Salad with Hazelnuts

This is really quite a simple salad, and I was a bit surprised at how much Mom and Mr. Ferdzy liked it. I liked it too!

I'm saying 4 servings, but the 3 of us ate it all. However, I only served a small piece of chicken alongside it, so with something else more substantial it should go further, and while it is a little time-consuming, there really isn't a lot of actual work involved.

Often this kind of salad is served with feta cheese in it, and that would be one way to make it a complete meal in itself. Sausages on the side would be a good choice too, with their slightly salty flavour profile.

4 servings
1 hour 30 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

Roast the Vegetables:
a 1.2 kilo (2.5 pounds) butternut squash
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo OR similar pepper
1 large onion
1 large head of broccoli
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Peel and de-seed the squash, and cut it into large bite-sized pieces. Toss it with the first round of oil, salt, pepper, and Aleppo pepper and spread it out on a large baking tray in a single layer. Roast for 40 minutes, then turn the oven up to 400°F.

Meanwhile, peel the onion and cut it into large slivers / small wedges. Wash and trim the broccoli, and cut it into florets. Peel the stem and cut it into large slivers. Toss them with the remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Mix them into the squash when it has roasted for 40 minutes, and roast for a further 20 to 30 minutes, at 400°F, until the vegetables are done to your liking.

Toast the Hazelnuts & Finish:
100 grams (4 ounces) whole hazelnuts
the juice of 1 large lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

At some point while the squash is roasting at 375°F, spread the hazelnuts on another baking sheet and roast them on the top shelf for 10 to 15 minutes. Let them cool, then rub them in a towel to remove most of the skins. Chop them coarsely.

Squeeze and strain the lemon juice, and mix in the mustard.

When the vegetables are roasted, toss them with the hazelnuts and lemon juice. Let cool a few minutes before serving - it should be still warm but not really hot.





Last year at this time I made Lamb with Turnip Greens.

Posted in: Ontario Food