pumpkin, beetroot, haloumi

I seem to repeat this sentence a lot when ive created a meal: I threw this together with what ingredients I could find. The sweetness of the pumpkin, earthiness of beetroot & saltiness of haloumi work really well together. It’s not often I eat a savoury meal without green – the baby kale just adds a bit of freshness.

Cheese is such a fabulous ingredient to bring a different flavour to a dish or balance out flavours – ive used Haloumi in this one but Grana Padano, Persian feta & goats cheese are normally present in my fridge most of the time.

1 beetroot

½ block haloumi

2 cups pumpkin, sliced

1 handful pine nuts, raw or roasted

2 cups baby kale

½ cup button mushrooms

olive oil – no more than 1/3 cup

METHOD

1. heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (I do not have a fancy-pants oven; it’s a standard Fisher & Paykel so this is what I base my temperatures on).

2. while the oven is heating, cut up the pumpkin (I prefer skin on but skin off is fine) & cut the beetroot into quarters, removing any yukky bits (so descriptive, aren’t i?!)

3. in one small oven tray, place the pumpkin on baking paper & throw in the oven

4. in another small oven tray, line with foil, then a layer of baking paper. Put the beetroot in the middle, pour over 2 tspns olive oil then fold up & put in the oven

5. set the timer for 45 minutes-1 hour. While it’s in the oven, slice the button mushrooms into thirds, slice the haloumi & measure out the baby kale.

6. with 10 minutes left on your timer: pan-fry the haloumi with 1-2 tspns olive oil. Flip once, then put on paper towel to drain any excess oil.

7. no need to wash out the pan, throw in the mushrooms with 2 tspns olive oil, flash frying for about 20 seconds, then add the kale & stir until it starts to wilt

8. take the pumpkin & beetroot out of the oven, slice the beetroot into smaller pieces. Arrange everything in a bowl & eat! I had it cold but it would be delicious warm too.

**if you have raw pine nuts, you can dry roast them in the frying pan once you’ve removed the kale & mushrooms. Just throw them in & stir A LOT or they will burn. It only needs 30-90 seconds depending on the heat of your stove.