Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Salad with Feta
The trick to roasting vegetables is not to overcrowd the roasting tin - it should be large enough so that the vegetables can be spread out in a thin layer.
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash (peeled, halved and seeds scooped out)
- 1 red pepper (core and seeds removed)
- 1 courgette (topped and tailed)
- 1 fennel bulb (first outer layer removed)
- 1 red onion (cut into thin wedges through the root)
- 3 tblsp olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus (trimmed)
- 400 g can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 175 g feta cheese
- 25 g wild rocket
- for the cumin and lemon dressing:
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tblsp chopped fresh coriander
- 3 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
- maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- The trick to roasting vegetables is not to overcrowd the roasting tin - it should be large enough so that the vegetables can be spread out in a thin layer. Ensure that you turn them every now and then during roasting so that they brown evenly.
- Red onion and rosemary focaccia, to serve
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7).
- Cut the butternut squash, red pepper, courgette and fennel into small chunky pieces and put into a large roasting tin with the red onion, oil and season to taste.
- Toss together until evenly combined and then spread out in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the asparagus stalks in half crossways and make the cumin and lemon dressing.
- For the Cumin and Lemon Dressing:
- Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat, add the cumin seeds and shake them around for a few seconds until lightly toasted.
- Tip into a pestle and mortar and grind to a powder.
- Tip into a bowl, add the lemon juice and gradually whisk in the oil.
- Season to taste, stir in the coriander and set aside.
- Add the asparagus to the roasting tin, turn everything over a few times and roast for another 20 minutes until all of the vegetables are just tender and slightly caramelised around the edges.
- Shortly before the roasted vegetables are ready, drop the chickpeas into a small pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 3 minutes until heated through. Drain well.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven. Quickly whisk the dressing again briefly, then mix into the roasted vegetables with the chickpeas. Season to taste.
- Leave to cool a little, then arrange on plates and crumble over the feta cheese. Scatter the rocket leaves on top and serve with some red onion and rosemary focaccia.
