Ok, so we’ve had the big meat fest, time to lighten up – and this warm winter salad of smoked butternut squash and feta cheese is just the job …
Smoking the squash & feta cheese
First prepare a medium butternut squash by peeling, halving, removing the seeds and fibres (by scooping with a spoon), and then cutting into 2cm cubes. Leave the feta in a block but patted it dry with kitchen towel.
How smoky you want the cheese and squash to be is entirely up to you, if you want a light smokiness you can do this by placing all on a tray in the Bradley Smoker and Cold-Smoking them with Cherry Bisquettes for 40 minutes. Test the flavour by breaking off a small piece of cheese. Leave longer if you want the flavour to be more pronounced.
Smoked Butternut Squash & Feta Salad
It is best to serve the smoked butternut squash warm, and if you’re toasting the seeds yourself you can add them to the plate direct from the skillet too. The mixed seeds add a delightful nutty crunch to the salad – but you might also like to add crispy bacon too!
Ingredients – serves 4
- diced, smoked Butternut Squash (see above)
- Olive Oil for roasting
- 150g smoked Feta Cheese
- 50g Wild Rocket Leaves
- 50g toasted mixed Seeds
- 2tbsp light Olive Oil
- 2tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt, Pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C
- Toss the diced, smoked squash in enough olive oil to lightly coat it and season liberally with salt and pepper. Spread over a baking tray and transfer to the oven to roast for 20 minutes, or until it is tinged with colour and is tender when probed with the tip of a small, sharp knife.
- Remove from the oven and toss the diced squash in a large bowl together with the light olive oil and balsamic to dress it. Add the rocket leaves and turn briefly with your fingers. Divide between 4 plates. Crumble pieces of smoked feta over the squash and sprinkle with toasted seeds. Serve immediately with warm, crusty bread.
Recipe compliments of Bradley UK and Sandra Tate