Where is the sun in London? It came out briefly then went back into hiding again! Roll on summer…I want it to be bright but until then this salad will have to do the trick. It’s inspired by the summer sun and the many incredible salads by Yotam Ottolenghi.
So here’s my bright roasted vegetable salad. Bright and colourful on the plate and good for you too.I t makes a perfect side for 4 (eat with pan fried white fish or roast chicken) and a main dish for 2. Peppers, plantains and sweet potatoes are my holy trinity, they will be featuring lots on this blog!
Leave the skin on the sweet potatoes to get some extra fibre (essential for maintaining the digestive system) and potassium (essential for keeping muscles in good shape). Top with toasted sesame and pumpkin seeds for a lovely crispy finish.
Be bright roasted vegetable salad
Everybody loves the sunshine! It’s still a little grey here in London and whilst we wait for the sun to finally show up I decided to make a bright Ottolenghi inspired roasted vegetable salad. It’s practically a sunny day on a plate and packed with gorgeous bright peppers, sweet potato and plantain enveloped in a lemon maple dressing.
- 2 orange peppers, deseeded and cut into large chunks
- 2 large sweet potatoes, unpeeled and cut into wedges
- 1 ripe plantain (with brown marks), chopped into 2cm chunks
- 1 large red onion, chopped into 6 quarters
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
- 60 g wild rocket
- 1 tbsp fresh chilli or chilli flakes
Lemon and maple syrup dressing
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6/180C Fan and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Arrange the peppers, sweet potato, plantain, red onion and drizzle over oil.
Toss with salt, black pepper, garlic and put the fresh herbs on top. Roast for 50 minutes or until the veg is tender (making sure to turn the veg over halfway).
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds. Stir them all over the pan for 1-2 minutes until golden, set aside.
In a small bowl combine lemon juice and zest, maple syrup, salt and pepper and olive oil. Stir well.
Put the rocket leaves on a plate and arrange the roasted vegetables on top. Drizzle over the dressing and sprinkle the toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds and chilli.
The dressing is adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Lemon and maple syrup dressing recipe. Instead of roasting you could lightly fry the plantain and top with the toasted seeds. Instead of sweet potatoes swap in pumpkin or butternut squash.
