A simple salad with the sweetness of roasted pumpkin and onions creates the perfect combination with baby spinach leaves. This salad is particularly good with steak and packs a healthy punch with the goodness of spinach leaves and a very simple dressing. If I am making this for guests, I will often roast the pumpkin, cook the onions and toast the almonds well beforehand. The pumpkin and onion have to be warm before going on to the spinach leaves, so I pop them in the microwave for a minute when I am ready to assemble the salad.
Time: 40–50 minutes
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients:
- 1kg pumpkin, 1–2cm diced
- 140g baby spinach leaves
- 2 onions, halved and finely sliced
- 3 tablespoons flaked almonds
- Oil
Dressing
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Method
Line a roasting pan with baking paper and put pumpkin in pan, then toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 180°C until pumpkin is cooked with a nice roast burnish (about 40 minutes).
While the pumpkin is roasting, put almonds in a dry non-stick frying pan and cook over medium heat until toasted. Set aside.
In the same pan, cook the onion in a little oil over a low heat until it softens and slightly caramelises.
Place spinach in a bowl and top with hot pumpkin and onions. If you cooked them earlier, pop them in the microwave for a minute to heat up.
Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, toss, then sprinkle with toasted almonds.
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