“THE BEST PUMPKIN SALAD EVER” BY PHOODIE 8

This salad got its name from, well, from ACTUALLY BEING, the BEST Pumpkin Salad EVER!

I mean it really is that simple.

Make it.

Eat it.

CRY from joy,

Repeat.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups walnuts

1 teaspoon brown sugar

6 cups Pumpkin – cut into approx 3cm pieces (This is about a large baking tray’s worth of pumpkin)

Olive oil and Salt – to drizzle and sprinkle on pumpkin

6 large brown onions

3 tablespoons Olive oil and 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar – for onions

3 generous handfuls of rocket

150 grams Goat’s Feta

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, to dress salad

METHOD

1) Scatter walnuts on a baking paper lined tray and sprinkle sugar over the top. Place into a preheated 200 degree celsius oven until nuts are roasted. This will take abouuuuuuut 10 – 15 minutes but DO NOT TURN AWAY as they can burn easily! It may take you less time if you have a “hot oven” like me. (As in my OVEN is hot, not me!)

2) Chop pumpkin into 3cm pieces and scatter over baking paper lined tray. Drizzle with Olive oil and scatter with salt. Bake in a 200 degree celsius oven until all pieces are cooked through. This should take approximately 40 minutes, but check it along the way! (Allow it to cool slightly before adding to the salad!)

3) Finely slice your onions and chuck ’em into a large pan with the olive oil. Turn heat on to LOW. I repeat. Turn heat on to LOW and continuously mix onions around until they become caramelised! It really is that easy….. but it DOES take some time…. so when I say CONTINUOUSLY mix onions I don’t mean for your hand NOT TO STOP, I mean to just keep mixing them on and off over the time it takes for them to caramelise. It can take up to 30 minutes or so, look at my snaps below for a guide as to what you are aiming for! Once they are ALMOST caramelised, toss in the tablespoon of balsamic and stir through.

4) Now it’s time to layer your salad! Get your serving bowl and chuck in some rocket, sprinkle some nuts, scatter some (cooled) pumpkin, and  throw over some onions. Repeat.Top salad with the gorgeous feta (crumbled) and dress with a good splash of both the oil and the balsamic.

ENJOY!